18 Days of Battle in Southern Afghanistan

By The Media Line news agency

A massive British-led operation in southern Afghanistan, which involved some 1,500 troops, has resulted in a large part of the troubled Helmand province now being free of Taliban influence, according to the British Ministry of Defense.

The campaign, called Sond Chara, lasted over 18 days and included forces from the United Kingdom, Afghanistan, Denmark and Estonia. The aim of the mission was to provide better security for the provincial capital, Lashkat Gah, which has come under attack recently from Taliban fighters, and to set the conditions necessary to enable voter registration to take place in early 2009.

The commander of Task Force Helmand, Brig. Gordon Messenger of the Royal Marines, was quoted as saying, "This is just the start and these operations do not end here. It is for us the drive, the tempo; we will continue to surprise and outmatch the Taliban at a time and place of our choosing, not theirs."

Prior to the operation, several intelligence missions were conducted, as well as the establishment of a Provincial Reconstruction Team to advise on an effective immediate stabilization plan.

The Helmand province is in one of the most mountainous regions in Afghanistan and has long been considered a Taliban stronghold. It is also the center for opium cultivation, which provides most of the Taliban's income.

"I think that Afghanistan is the classic situation whereby no matter how many thousands of troops you throw at it, the problem is not going to be solved militarily. The problem has to be solved politically and developmentally," Paul Burton, director of policy with the International Council on Security and Development, told The Media Line.

(c) 2008. The Media Line Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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