Operation Mushtarak update 15-02-2010

Operation Mushtarak update 15-02-2010
The Continuing Assault
Heavy fighting in and around Marja carried into its third day. Most of the fighting appears to be confined to two areas, one at the northern end of the district and one in the center, an agricultural area criss-crossed by irrigation canals.
February 15, 2010
Taking a Key Bridge
Four platoons of U.S. Marines have engaged in near constant skirmishing with the Taliban in and around Marja since Saturday. Company K had been ordered to seize a bridge and a nearby local bazaar about 2 kilometers from where they had landed by helicopter early Saturday morning. A running firefight lasting three days ended in the successful capture of the position

February 13-14, 2010
Establishing Positions
Coalition ground forces engaged in scattered firefights on Sunday with Taliban insurgents, searching for weapons and carrying out controlled explosions of captured explosives, according to a spokesperson for the International Security Assistance Force in the area. At least 10 Afghan civilians were reported killed when a rocket directed against Taliban insurgents went astray hitting a house in the area

About 6,000 American, British and Afghan troops descended on Marja in Saturday's invasion, carrying out an air and ground assault. Troops that came by air carried portable foot bridges to cross the irrigation canals that lace Marja. Ground forces were led by huge armored vehicles designed to clear bombs from the roads.

February 12, 2010
The Battle Begins
Thousands of American and Afghan troops encircled and descended on the town of Marja for a major military offensive. The initial attack was from air, with Hellfire missiles and Apache helicopters. Cordons were set up to capture fleeing Taliban fighters, and Marines stormed a central bazaar.

By Joe Burgess, C.J. Chivers, Dexter Filkins and Rod Nordland
Sources: International Security Assistance Force; Institute for the Study of War; Afghanistan Information Management Services; satellite image by Nasa
Source: The New York Times Note: Related articles not attached here.ENB admin.