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Afghan Taliban warn Nato: we'll be back

By Channel 4 News

Updated on 15 February 2010

With Nato's Operation Moshtarak "on track" in Afghanistan and with resistance apparently melting away, the Taliban warn: "We will be back." Meanwhile, five more Afghan civilians are killed in an air strike. Nick Paton Walsh reports.

An alleged member of the Taliban is caught on camera. (Credit: Getty)

The Nato view is that Operation Moshtarak, launched at the end of last week, is on track - but for the killing of civilians.

After the accidental death was reported on Sunday of 12 civilians in a rocket misfire, five more were killed tonight in an air strike.

But the Taliban have adopted a strategy of classic guerrilla warfare against thousands of British, American and Afghan forces trying to push the insurgents out of their stronghold. They say: “We vacate our positions, but it is not a retreat - and we will be back.”

"Khraf and thraf", as they call it, means classic guerrilla warfare against thousands of British, American and Afghan forces trying to push the insurgents out of their stronghold.

Over the past three days British troops have begun cementing the positions they have taken since their surge into the north east of Majer.

Chinook helicopters dropped hundreds of Afghan forces and soldiers from the 1st Battalion the Royal Welch into Nad-e-Ali, and Babaji.

By land, Mastiff armoured vehicles have ferried more Afghan troops and soldiers from the Grenadier and Coldstream Guards to the south of both towns.

To the south US troops are consolidating their positions in and around Marjah. Here, too, Taliban resistance seems to have melted away.


But commanders are bracing themselves for a slow and determined retaliation which could last many weeks.

Former defence minister Eric Joyce, who resigned from the government over Labour's defence policy in Afghanistan, has told Channel 4 News the current military operation will be defined by what happens next.

He said: "We've had a big success at face value, the local Taliban have melted into their communities and foreign Taliban have moved away.

"But if you simply put a henchman of the present Afghanistan in there, you'll be no further forward.

"It's very important that they now put someone in to run the area that's in touch with the proper local politics of the area."


 

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