British troops prepare for Afghan push
Updated on 07 February 2010
As troops prepare for the biggest military operation against the Taliban since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, a senior army officer warns of the risk of casualties.
Major General Gordon Messenger said a decision had been taken to reveal details of the operation, which is intended to secure the last Taliban stronghold in Helmand province.
He said Taliban fighters faced a stark choice - lay down your arms or be hit by "overwhelming force".
"The express purpose of this is to essentially give the Taliban in those areas a choice: either to put down their weapons and choose not to fight and become part of legitimate society in those areas or to fight," he said.
"And if they choose to fight, as General Nick Carter, the general commanding the operation has said, they will be subjected to overwhelming force and will be defeated."
Today the defence secretary, Bob Ainsworth, told Channel 4 News British forces in Afghanistan are talking directly to Taliban representatives.
"There's no need for us to wait until some end point before we start talking to those elements of the Taliban who don't share all of the ideological aims of some of their leaders," Ainsworth said.
"Those talks have already been going on, and have been going on for some time."
