US marines gear up for major Afghan assault

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TOOR GHAR, Afghanistan, Feb 9 (AFP): US Marines Tuesday stepped up preparations for a major assault on a key Taliban bastion in southern Afghanistan hailed by officers as the biggest offensive of the eight-year war.
Thousands of Afghan, US and NATO forces are expected to launch Operation Mushtarak (Together) in a bid to clear the Taliban out of Marjah, home to some 80,000 people, and expand the control of the Western-backed Afghan government.
Officials and witnesses say families have fled, loading goats, furniture and clothes on to vehicles and heading to safety in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province around 20 kilometres (12 miles) to the north.
NATO commanders have urged the Taliban to surrender but the militia, whose insurgency to bring down the Afghan government and eject foreign troops is now at its deadliest, has vowed to stay and fight.
"The combat operations for the assault of Marjah have begun this morning," Lieutenant Colonel James "Matt" Baker, of 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines Regiment told AFP late Monday, referring to the final phase of assault preparations.
About five kilometres (three miles) outside Marjah, an AFP photographer said US Marines were searching houses and compounds for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the chief Taliban killer of foreign troops, and weapons.
The market and main road were empty in the farming belt, although many local residents appeared to be staying, the AFP photographer said.
"There are troops around Nad Ali and Marjah but so far the operation has not started. The troops are moving around," said Habibullah, who heads the district administration of Nad Ali, where Marjah is located.