british troops launch biggest offensive of summer in afghanistan - solar powered street lights
The operation of the Black Prince Tor Shezada began early Friday morning with helicopters carrying soldiers into the rebels.
Territory at the southern end of Nad-e-
Ali district, Helmand province
Their target is the town of Saidabad, which the commander says is the last part of the UKgarrisoned Nad-e-
The Afghan government has no control over Ali.
The operation was designed to be based on the Moshtarak operation, which was launched in February and is the largest operation in nine years.
War in Afghanistan.
Under this impetus, a joint force of 15,000 British, US and Afghan soldiers attempted to bring peace to the region.
Saidabad, however, has never been cleared, and it is both a symbolic and an important tactical position.
The town is an important canal crossing where insurgents can freely cross with weapons and motorcycles, allowing the Taliban to supply Marjah to the south, since the start of Moshtarak, s. Marines have been locked up in combat.
On July, the US military's most deadly month in Afghanistan, the Taliban's defense ministry image of "hunting for information" showed that the launch of the "Black Prince operation" also accommodated a rebel "shadow government ", guarded by up to 180 fighters, hidden in 6,000
Compounds with walls
Major Andy Garner, head of the Corunna Company at 1st Battalion of the Duke of Lancaster, said: "This is a small safe haven or post station where they can launch an attack.
This is an area where they have free access.
"With the start of the push, the Daily Telegraph accompanied corenner to walk through the farmland into the area in the dark.
"The plan is to steal the area, not fight for it," Lieutenant Colonel Fraser Lawrence, commander of the Nader forcee-
Ali told this reporter
District governor Habibullah called on the radio to ask villagers to stay inside as the troops moved forward.
The commanders thought the Taliban were caught off guard and did not encounter any resistance when it jumped from the compound to the compound.
However, with the arrival of the day, the temperature climbed to the sultry level, and the teenage boys went in and out of the tree line and watched the progress of the troops.
They are believed to be Taliban scouts.
Bomb disposal experts took pains to start cleaning up the main route to the south of the town. The two-
Mile Road will be strengthened later through checkpoints designed to keep it from going home permanentlymade bombs.
British commander against Nad-e-
Ali has been a beacon of progress since Taliban militants were cleared from the moshtalak area.
Business in Nader towne-
Ali, named after the region, has grown significantly over the past 12 months, with a busy market now having 250 stores and the most recently installed solar street lights in the UK.
The soldiers believe that safety has improved a lot, and soon they can stop wearing helmets while patrolling the town.
Afghans visit Nader's bazaarse-
Ali said before the attack that security has improved in recent months, but added that they still feel trapped by rebels and NATO --led forces.
The vendor, Mullah Redi Gul, said the Taliban controlled less than two miles into the countryside.
"Business is good inside the fair, but it is still not safe outside," he said . ".
"When the Taliban entered our village, they used our camp for an ambush and then NATO soldiers came to blame us.