An Afghan flag has been raised in Marjah and a town administrator appointed, while Afghan and NATO troops continue their quest to push out the local Taliban and restore government control of the Helmand province town.
Nearly two weeks into Operation Moshtarak, some 15,000 Afghan and NATO troops are trying to flush out the remaining Taliban fighters, who are believed to be contained within a 45-square-kilometre area. It is described as being the largest military operation in Afghanistan since the U.S. arrived nearly 10 years ago.
In Marjah, Abdul Zahir Aryan was appointed as the town administrator at a Thursday ceremony that was attended by 700 Afghans, as well as government officials and U.S. Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, who commands the locally-deployed U.S. Marines.
Marlin Hardinger, the senior U.S. government representative for Helmand province, said Aryan and a group of advisers have been in Marjah since Tuesday.
"Today's event was the civilian Afghan government re-establishing itself officially in front of the local residents," Hardinger said.
North of Marjah, the U.S. Marines reported slow progress, finding few tracks to follow the Taliban and many hidden mines. Several vehicles were damaged by roadside bombs.
About 100 Taliban fighters are believed to have gathered in an area known as Kareze, said commanders from the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines Regiment.
Overall, the offensive has made gains against the local Taliban, though it has sustained civilian and military casualties.
NATO has reported the death of 13 NATO troops and three Afghan soldiers during the offensive. The Afghan human rights commission says 28 civilians have been killed, including 13 children.
Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, a spokesperson for the Afghan Defense Ministry, said that the Afghan governments and NATO troops had to accept that some civilian deaths were likely to occur.
"Preventing civilian casualties is our biggest challenge," Azimi told reporters in Kabul.
"You should not expect zero casualties, either from our side or from the international forces. That will only happen when the fighting is over. And we are all trying to make that happen."
NATO has worked hard to win the public's support in Marjah, taking the position that it will do everything in its power to keep civilians out of harm's way.
"We are going beyond the laws of armed conflict by increasing our risk," said Brig. Gen. Eric Tremblay, a NATO spokesperson.
With files from The Associated Press
