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| Nato in large Afghan offensive | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Nato and Afghan forces have launched their largest joint offensive against the Taleban in southern Afghanistan. | Nato and Afghan forces have launched their largest joint offensive against the Taleban in southern Afghanistan. |
| Operation Achilles will involve more than 4,500 Nato troops and nearly 1,000 Afghan soldiers in the restive Helmand province, says Nato. | |
| Helmand is known to be a stronghold of Taleban militants. | Helmand is known to be a stronghold of Taleban militants. |
| Last month, the province governor said up to 700 insurgents had crossed over from Pakistan and were preparing to fight British forces. | Last month, the province governor said up to 700 insurgents had crossed over from Pakistan and were preparing to fight British forces. |
| The operation began at 5am local time (0030 GMT) and will focus on the northern part of Helmand, said officials. | The operation began at 5am local time (0030 GMT) and will focus on the northern part of Helmand, said officials. |
| "This is the largest multinational combined Ansf (Afghan National Security Force) and Isaf (International Security Assistance Force) operation launched to date and it signifies the beginning of a planned offensive to bring security to northern Helmand," the head of the alliance's southern command, Dutch Major General Ton van Loon, said in a statement. | "This is the largest multinational combined Ansf (Afghan National Security Force) and Isaf (International Security Assistance Force) operation launched to date and it signifies the beginning of a planned offensive to bring security to northern Helmand," the head of the alliance's southern command, Dutch Major General Ton van Loon, said in a statement. |
| It would focus on "improving security in areas where Taleban extremists, narco-traffickers and other elements are trying to destabilise the government of Afghanistan," the statement said. | It would focus on "improving security in areas where Taleban extremists, narco-traffickers and other elements are trying to destabilise the government of Afghanistan," the statement said. |
| Isaf said the offensive was launched at the request of the Afghan government. | Isaf said the offensive was launched at the request of the Afghan government. |