NATO, Afghan forces launch biggest offensive

KABUL: NATO and Afghan forces launched their biggest ever joint offensive on Tuesday, involving up to 5,500 troops, to drive Taliban militants out of the southern province of Helmand.   

The launch of "Operation Achilles" comes after western officials urged a stiff response to Taliban threats of a spring offensive featuring a wave of suicide bombings.   

One NATO soldier was killed in combat in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday but the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) did not say if it was linked to the new military push.   

"This is the largest multinational combined ANSF (Afghan security force) and ISAF operation launched to date and it signifies the beginning of a planned offensive to bring security to northern Helmand," Major-General Ton van Loon, ISAF's southern commander, said.   

At its peak it would involve more than 4,500 NATO troops and nearly 1,000 Afghan security force (ANSF) personnel, he said. The offensive in Helmand, where thousands of mainly British troops have been fighting frequent battles against the Taliban, was launched at the request of the Afghan government, he said.   

It would focus on "improving security in areas where Taliban extremists, narco-traffickers and other elements are trying to destabilise the government of Afghanistan," the statement said.   

Western and Afghan officials say illegal drug income was fuelling the Taliban insurgency -- especially in Helmand, which is Afghanistan's top opium-producing area.   

NATO forces would also try to "empower village elders to take charge of their communities as they have been doing so in other parts of southern Afghanistan, without the influence of Taliban extremists," the statement said.   

A NATO spokesman said the push was aimed at retaking the small town of Musa Qala, which was occupied by insurgents a month ago and is one of several districts in Helmand which are out of government control.   

Afghan interior ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary said Operation Achilles would "help strengthen the presence of government across Helmand, including three districts where the government has no presence at this time".   

The Taliban have also been engaging British forces around Kajaki dam, a major hydropower plant in Helmand that the military wants to secure so that it can be repaired and put to work.   

"Strategically, our goal is to enable the Afghan government to begin the Kajaki project," NATO said.   

Britain's Foreign Office said it was checking reports that Taliban rebels had kidnapped a British citizen in Helmand.   

A purported Taliban spokesman said the militants had arrested a Briton and two Afghans in Helmand on Monday but did not give further details on their identities.   

"They told us that they're journalists. We assume they're spies, not journalists, but we'll investigate. After our investigations are over we'll decide on their fate," Yousuf Ahmadi said.   

Meanwhile in the eastern city of Jalalabad around 1,000 student protestors demanded the withdrawal of foreign forces after the killing of nearly 20 civilians in two incidents at the weekend.   

Afghan officials say 10 civilians were shot dead when US-led coalition troops opened fire after a suicide car bombing on a convoy just outside the city on Sunday. The coalition said eight people died.   

The coalition also admitted to civilian casualties in a bombing raid on Sunday in Kapisa province, north of Kabul, saying it accepted a government death toll of nine civilians and three insurgents.