Marines Launch Assault on Taliban Town
Helicopter-borne U.S. Marines backed by Harrier jets stormed a Taliban-held town in southern Afghanistan before dawn Wednesday, the launch of a new operation to uproot Taliban fighters from a longtime base and provide security for next week's presidential election.
The troops exchanged heavy fire with insurgents, killing at least seven in an offensive they hoped would also cut Taliban supply lines and isolate their fighters.
Associated Press journalists traveling with the first wave said militants fired small arms, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades after helicopters dropped the troops over Taliban lines. Fighting lasted more than eight hours, as Harrier jets streaked overhead and dropped flares in a show of force.
The Taliban put up such fierce resistance that Marines said they suspected the militants knew the assault was coming.
Other Marines met heavy resistance as they fought to seize control of the mountains surrounding Dahaneh in the southern province of Helmand. Another convoy of Marines rolled into the town despite roadside bomb attacks and gunfire.
It was the first time NATO troops had entered Dahaneh, which has been under Taliban control for years.
U.S., NATO and Afghan troops are working to protect voting sites around the country so Afghans can take part in the country's second-ever direct presidential election on Aug. 20. Taliban militants have vowed to disrupt the elections, and attacks are on the rise.
Marines say they captured several suspected insurgents in the push and seized about 66 pounds of opium, reports CBS News correspondent Mandy Clark. The militants use profits from the drug to finance their insurgency.
Troops hope to restore control of the town so that residents can vote in the election.
The new offensive, named "Eastern Resolve 2," is designed to break the monthslong stalemate in this southern valley where the Taliban are solidly entrenched. By occupying Dahaneh, the Marines hope to isolate insurgents in woods and mountains, away from civilian centers.
"I think this has the potential to be a watershed," said Capt. Zachary Martin, commander of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, who led the assault.
The goal is to cut off the Taliban from a major rear base, and reclaim the area's market district. It is hoped this would have a ripple effect through nearby villages, making civilians more willing to cooperate with NATO forces. The Taliban levy taxes and maintain checkpoints in Dahaneh, which serves as a main trading route through northern Helmand, which produces 60 percent of the world's opium.
"In the long term, it could have tremendous effects for the entire province," said Martin, whose company is based in Naw Zad, five miles (10 kilometers) to the north.
A combined force of some 500 U.S. and Afghan troops took part in the attack, which included helicopters, snipers, and female Marines brought in to interact with Afghan women during the compound-by-compound search conducted by Afghan forces who accompanied the Americans.
The Marines arrived in helicopters under cover of darkness, but at morning light, militants unleashed their weapons.
Marines cried out "Incoming!" as the whistles of Taliban rockets approached. A heavy rocket targeted a Marine outpost, but flew over the small base, while a mortar round landed just 20 yards (meters) from a Humvee on the town's outskirts.
"Just a few meters further and I'd be dead," said Corp. Joshua Jackson, 23, from Copley, Ohio, after one round landed nearby.
Progress into the town was slowed by a heavy machine gun the Taliban had in one of the streets. Militants also brought in a truck to fire heavy missiles. Marines said the Taliban's reputation for firing poorly aimed shots and fleeing had not proved true here.
"This is a Taliban home down here, so for once they're not running," said Lance Corp. Garett Davidson, 24, of West Desmorins, Iowa.
Fighting was made harder for the Marines by the fact insurgents were shooting from house rooftops and courtyards, potentially putting civilians in danger. But civilians — perhaps 100 — were seen fleeing on foot in the early morning, leaving the Marines confident that those left in the town were militants.
Martin said the Marines would strictly limit the type of weapons they used and would stick to a "proportional response" when under fire to limit civilian casualties.
After militants fired volleys of rockets from a mud-wall compound, the Marines called in a missile strike, and Capt. Zachary Martin said seven to 10 militants inside were killed. No civilians were inside, he said.
"We were tracking these individuals, they were there ... and then boom, and they weren't there," Martin said.
Martin confirmed suspicions among the Marines that the fierce resistance indicated that the Taliban had been tipped off about the operation beforehand. "I'm pretty sure they knew of it in advance," he said.
Once the second largest-town in Helmand, Naw Zad has been almost emptied of its 30,000 inhabitants after three years of near-constant fighting. Taliban lines begin barely a mile (a kilometer) from the Marines' forward operating base, set amid minefields with hundreds of homemade explosives. By occupying Dahaneh, the Marines say they can outflank the insurgents in Naw Zad valley and isolate them in woods and mountains.
By late morning a contingent of Afghan Army soldiers had driven into the section of the town now controlled by the Marines, and some Marines were preparing to head out for the first NATO patrol ever in Dahaneh. It planned to reach out to civilians possibly huddled in their homes as sporadic but fierce outbursts of intense gunfire continued through the morning.
The target at the start of the operation was two suspected Taliban compounds, which were raided commando-style by a group of Marines dropped behind enemy lines. A second group drove in from the Marines' main base in Naw Zad. Their goal was to secure what Marines have been calling "The Devil's Pass," a narrow passage between two steep hills that controls the entrance to the Naw Zad district.
The offensive follows "Eastern Resolve 1," which was the Marines' initial push out of Naw Zad in early spring. This first move was of limited effect, because U.S. troops were too thinly spread at the time to control areas they managed to claim from insurgents.
Casualties have mounted as U.S. and NATO troops ramp up military operations following President Barack Obama's decision to deploy 21,000 more American forces to Afghanistan this year to cope with the rising Taliban insurgency.
Last month, U.S. and NATO deaths from roadside and suicide bomb blasts in Afghanistan soared six-fold compared with the same month last year, as militants detonated the highest number of bombs of the eight-year war, according to figures released Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a bombing wounded two Associated Press journalists embedded with the U.S. military in southern Afghanistan - 120 miles southeast of Dahaneh.
Photographer Emilio Morenatti and AP Television News videographer Andi Jatmiko were traveling with a unit of the 5th Stryker Brigade of Fort Lewis, Wash., when their vehicle ran over a bomb planted in the open desert terrain, the military said.
Both men were immediately taken to a military hospital in Kandahar. Jatmiko suffered leg injuries and two broken ribs. Morenatti, badly wounded in the leg, underwent an operation that resulted in the loss of his foot.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The troops exchanged heavy fire with insurgents, killing at least seven in an offensive they hoped would also cut Taliban supply lines and isolate their fighters.
Associated Press journalists traveling with the first wave said militants fired small arms, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades after helicopters dropped the troops over Taliban lines. Fighting lasted more than eight hours, as Harrier jets streaked overhead and dropped flares in a show of force.
The Taliban put up such fierce resistance that Marines said they suspected the militants knew the assault was coming.
Other Marines met heavy resistance as they fought to seize control of the mountains surrounding Dahaneh in the southern province of Helmand. Another convoy of Marines rolled into the town despite roadside bomb attacks and gunfire.
It was the first time NATO troops had entered Dahaneh, which has been under Taliban control for years.
U.S., NATO and Afghan troops are working to protect voting sites around the country so Afghans can take part in the country's second-ever direct presidential election on Aug. 20. Taliban militants have vowed to disrupt the elections, and attacks are on the rise.
Marines say they captured several suspected insurgents in the push and seized about 66 pounds of opium, reports CBS News correspondent Mandy Clark. The militants use profits from the drug to finance their insurgency.
Troops hope to restore control of the town so that residents can vote in the election.
The new offensive, named "Eastern Resolve 2," is designed to break the monthslong stalemate in this southern valley where the Taliban are solidly entrenched. By occupying Dahaneh, the Marines hope to isolate insurgents in woods and mountains, away from civilian centers.
"I think this has the potential to be a watershed," said Capt. Zachary Martin, commander of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, who led the assault.
The goal is to cut off the Taliban from a major rear base, and reclaim the area's market district. It is hoped this would have a ripple effect through nearby villages, making civilians more willing to cooperate with NATO forces. The Taliban levy taxes and maintain checkpoints in Dahaneh, which serves as a main trading route through northern Helmand, which produces 60 percent of the world's opium.
"In the long term, it could have tremendous effects for the entire province," said Martin, whose company is based in Naw Zad, five miles (10 kilometers) to the north.
A combined force of some 500 U.S. and Afghan troops took part in the attack, which included helicopters, snipers, and female Marines brought in to interact with Afghan women during the compound-by-compound search conducted by Afghan forces who accompanied the Americans.
The Marines arrived in helicopters under cover of darkness, but at morning light, militants unleashed their weapons.
Marines cried out "Incoming!" as the whistles of Taliban rockets approached. A heavy rocket targeted a Marine outpost, but flew over the small base, while a mortar round landed just 20 yards (meters) from a Humvee on the town's outskirts.
"Just a few meters further and I'd be dead," said Corp. Joshua Jackson, 23, from Copley, Ohio, after one round landed nearby.
Progress into the town was slowed by a heavy machine gun the Taliban had in one of the streets. Militants also brought in a truck to fire heavy missiles. Marines said the Taliban's reputation for firing poorly aimed shots and fleeing had not proved true here.
"This is a Taliban home down here, so for once they're not running," said Lance Corp. Garett Davidson, 24, of West Desmorins, Iowa.
Fighting was made harder for the Marines by the fact insurgents were shooting from house rooftops and courtyards, potentially putting civilians in danger. But civilians — perhaps 100 — were seen fleeing on foot in the early morning, leaving the Marines confident that those left in the town were militants.
Martin said the Marines would strictly limit the type of weapons they used and would stick to a "proportional response" when under fire to limit civilian casualties.
After militants fired volleys of rockets from a mud-wall compound, the Marines called in a missile strike, and Capt. Zachary Martin said seven to 10 militants inside were killed. No civilians were inside, he said.
"We were tracking these individuals, they were there ... and then boom, and they weren't there," Martin said.
Martin confirmed suspicions among the Marines that the fierce resistance indicated that the Taliban had been tipped off about the operation beforehand. "I'm pretty sure they knew of it in advance," he said.
Once the second largest-town in Helmand, Naw Zad has been almost emptied of its 30,000 inhabitants after three years of near-constant fighting. Taliban lines begin barely a mile (a kilometer) from the Marines' forward operating base, set amid minefields with hundreds of homemade explosives. By occupying Dahaneh, the Marines say they can outflank the insurgents in Naw Zad valley and isolate them in woods and mountains.
By late morning a contingent of Afghan Army soldiers had driven into the section of the town now controlled by the Marines, and some Marines were preparing to head out for the first NATO patrol ever in Dahaneh. It planned to reach out to civilians possibly huddled in their homes as sporadic but fierce outbursts of intense gunfire continued through the morning.
The target at the start of the operation was two suspected Taliban compounds, which were raided commando-style by a group of Marines dropped behind enemy lines. A second group drove in from the Marines' main base in Naw Zad. Their goal was to secure what Marines have been calling "The Devil's Pass," a narrow passage between two steep hills that controls the entrance to the Naw Zad district.
The offensive follows "Eastern Resolve 1," which was the Marines' initial push out of Naw Zad in early spring. This first move was of limited effect, because U.S. troops were too thinly spread at the time to control areas they managed to claim from insurgents.
Casualties have mounted as U.S. and NATO troops ramp up military operations following President Barack Obama's decision to deploy 21,000 more American forces to Afghanistan this year to cope with the rising Taliban insurgency.
Last month, U.S. and NATO deaths from roadside and suicide bomb blasts in Afghanistan soared six-fold compared with the same month last year, as militants detonated the highest number of bombs of the eight-year war, according to figures released Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a bombing wounded two Associated Press journalists embedded with the U.S. military in southern Afghanistan - 120 miles southeast of Dahaneh.
Photographer Emilio Morenatti and AP Television News videographer Andi Jatmiko were traveling with a unit of the 5th Stryker Brigade of Fort Lewis, Wash., when their vehicle ran over a bomb planted in the open desert terrain, the military said.
Both men were immediately taken to a military hospital in Kandahar. Jatmiko suffered leg injuries and two broken ribs. Morenatti, badly wounded in the leg, underwent an operation that resulted in the loss of his foot.
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By the way our combat troops (U.S. Army) in Afghanistan are short of everything from food to bullets to vehicles to other very simple things that I can't say on here without endangering our guys. You name it and they are short of it. And this is the American Army. Our troops are fighting this war without enough supplies and equipment.
I send about 2 packages a week for my son in Afghanistan to share with his squad and other military family members do the same for their soldier over there. As a matter of fact last week my friend just sent my son 5 packages...2 with food, 3 with military equipment.
I was going to give my son my 9mm Sig/Saur pistol in case he ever gets into a tight spot....but being only 19 he is not allowed to carry a pistol in Afghanistan and was not allowed to take it. But he is a machine gunner in the U.S. Army carrying the SAW (M-249 Light Machine Gun). Stupid, in combat he can carry a machine gun and all other sorts of weapons but not a pistol.
Also he spent over $100 to buy his own magazines for his M-4 rifle...the ones he was given are totally worn out. Who wants to risk their rifle jamming because of worn out magazines misfeeding rounds to your rifle. All the soldiers spend hundreds of dollars to buy their own equipment and and so do families in support of them.
This is an exerpt from an email I recieved 3 days ago from the wife of a Staff Sergeant in another platoon of my son's company...
""They are obviously very short on supplies. That is a general complaint heard from all. My husband is in the xxxx platoon. That doesn't mean they dont do a lot together though so just ask him. I know my hubby was suppose to leave within the last xxxx on some big mission. Not sure exactly when they'd be leaving, but he said he wouldn't be able to talk to me for a while so if your son doesn't get to call you back just know it may be a little while.""
===============================
Also had a call from my other son 2 nights ago, a 20 year old F-16 Mechanic in the U.S. Air Force at a joint base in Iraq.
Only six out of thirteen F-16's are combat ready to fly. The jets are worn out. They can fly but certain systems needed for combat are not functioning. They will fix some of them but after one flight something else is broke. Also they do not recieve new parts for the F-16's, they only recieve used/rebuilt parts. If a panel is cracked my son sends it in and he gets a used replacement panel that was taken off of another jet and repaired and sent to him. Once the panel he sent in is repaired it will be sent as a replacement part to some other jet. They do not get any new parts at all for the jets. Even the engines have been rebuilt upteen times. Many times the used parts for the F-16's don't fit so they go to the grinder to be made to fit.
Morale is also down...for the time being they cannot recieve or send mail from the joint base he is at in Iraq. I send packages, cards to him through the U.S. Postal Service. From what I got from my son is that the mail is flown in by Fed-Ex and the Iraqi government wants Fed-Ex to pay the Iraqi government for landing in Iraq. Fed-ex told the Iraqi government to shove it. So for the time being there is no mail coming or going for the airmen/soldiers there.
When Bush was in office he had code pink protesting everyday. Why dont they protest now that Obama is in office.
And we're all standing tall and proud to be Murkans.
Hint - GW Bush.
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Whoever wrote this drivel is totally ignorant of what they are supposed to be reporting.
Flare drops are no show of force. They are performed to illuminate targets.
They are as big a "show of force" as turning on a light switch.
CBS apparently hires drop-outs as opposed to grads....
"Dropping flares as a show of force" ? what are they stupid....if we wanted to have a show of force, we wouldn't be dropping flares.
I believe the flares were used for their real purpose (not illumination) but to avoid being hit by air-air missles or unguided rockets.....it appears to be a daytime operation, so no illumination needed