NATO: 75 Taliban Killed In Afghanistan

Death Toll Claimed After First Day Of New Offensive Involving 2,000 Troops

(AP)  NATO-led troops killed 75 suspected insurgents on the first day of an offensive against Taliban militants in a valley in southern Afghanistan, a British military officer said Tuesday.

The militants died Monday, when British, Danish and Afghan troops fought their way up the Sangin Valley in Helmand province, Maj. Dominic Biddick, who commanded a company of British troops in the operation, told The Associated Press.

Biddick said the troops detained several more suspected militants and discovered an arms cache during "a full day of fighting."

One British soldier was wounded, he said, without providing any details of his condition.

"The operation went better than most people had anticipated," Biddick told an AP reporter traveling with his unit. "At one point, there were six companies in clashes at the same time."

His tally of 75 insurgents killed could not be independently verified.

The Sangin Valley mission is part of Operation Achilles, NATO's largest-ever maneuver against the Taliban, which began in March.

The operation is focused on reclaiming Helmand province, Afghanistan's most volatile, from insurgents so that the government of President Hamid Karzai can expand its reach.

On Monday, the U.S. military reported that 136 suspected militants were killed in three days of fighting in western Herat province — the deadliest clashes in Afghanistan since January.

[mbcsmith]

Good job NATO and U.S. military. Keep up the good work!

[perception5]

Great job by our allies and all "freedom" loving people around the world.

UN........thanks for nothing... poor Darfur

[neoconrcrazy]

hey, Bush ! the real war on terror is here, in Afghanistan against the New Taliban which has formed because of your incompetence.

[sawz51]

As the father of an infantry Lieutanent over a rifle platoon in the 82nd who was fighting in the Sanjin area a couple of weeks ago, I say many thanks to our Allies, the Brits, the Canadian, the Dutch, the Danes, the Aussies, and all those others who are not afraid to go in harm's way. To the rest, and most notably the French, my feeling is that in the future, I am not in favor of spilling one drop of American blood to bail you out, even if the Russians, the Chinese, or an Islamic Army is marching down past the Louvre!!

[notblue]

Anyone who believes the "real war" on terror is only in Aghanistan refuse to recognize the global threat strictly due to politics and ideology. If one were to admit taht there is a global war on terror including all middle eastern countries including most countries outside the middle east then the tired old mantra of not in Iraq etc.etc.etc. would no longer be valid. These radical militants know no countries flag as there agenda is Muslim global domination or death.

[feelfree1]

NATO claims '75 Taliban' killed, and CBS parrots that figure.

Afghans claim scores of dead civilians, and zero Taliban killed by aerial NATO bomb strikes, including women and children, and demonstrate in protest.

I know who I believe.

[sevenveils]

Well go ahead and tell us feelfree1