Taleban accused of using human shields
MARJAH. February 18. KAZINFORM Military commanders raised the Afghan flag in the bullet-ridden main market of the Taleban's southern stronghold of Marjah on Wednesday as firefights continued to break out elsewhere in the town between holed-up militants and US and Afghan troops, Kazinform refers to Arab News.
About 15,000 NATO and Afghan troops are taking part in the offensive around Marjah, a town of about 80,000 people that was the largest population center in southern Helmand province under Taleban control. NATO hopes to rush in aid and public services as soon as the town is secured to try to win the loyalty of the population.
The arrest of top Taleban military commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, confirmed by Pakistan on Wednesday, could deal a huge blow to the insurgency that is trying to bring down the Afghan government and evict foreign troops.
But on day five of Operation Mushtarak ("Together") officers said progress has slowed because of multitudes of hidden bombs in the farming district of Helmand province that drug lords and the Taleban have controlled for years.
The top Afghan general commanding Operation Mushtarak also accused the Taleban of hiding behind human shields.
Taleban spokesman denied their fighters were exploiting civilians. "We have never used civilians as human shields, we do not use our own people as human shields," Yousuf Ahmadi said by telephone from an undisclosed location. "We are there, standing against the invaders in direct fighting", Kazinform cites Arab News. See www.arabnews.com for full version.