U.S. and Afghan forces provide security on a hill in the Kharwar district in Afghanistan's Logar province, Jan. 11, 2011. The soldiers are assigned to the 10th Mountain Division's Company D, 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Cooper T. CashMarines Pay A Price Trying To Secure An Afghan Hot Spot -- L.A. Times
What happened to them in Sangin district of Helmand province shows the sacrifices in a campaign aimed at crippling the Taliban in a stronghold and helping extricate the U.S. from a decadelong war.
Reporting from Camp Pendleton — Marines tell of snipers who fire from "murder holes" cut into mud-walled compounds. Fighters who lie in wait in trenches dug around rough farmhouses clustered together for protection. Farmers who seem to tip the Taliban to the outsiders' every movement , often with signals that sound like birdcalls.
When the Marines of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, deployed to the Sangin district of Afghanistan's Helmand province in late September, the British soldiers who had preceded them warned the Americans that the Taliban would be waiting nearly everywhere for a chance to kill them.
Read more ....
More News On Afghanistan
Taliban and Western forces focus on Afghan district -- L.A. Times
2 sides focus on Afghan district -- L.A. Times
Afghan, coalition forces target Taliban leaders -- Dvids
Forces Target Taliban Leaders Throughout Afghanistan -- Canada Free Press
Two Nato Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan - Xinhua -- Nasdaq
FACTBOX-Security developments in Afghanistan, Jan 22 -- Alertnet
Frontline cop in Afghanistan reveals battle to bring law and order to badlands -- Daily Record
Ending standoff, Karzai agrees to inaugurate Afghan parliament -- Washington Post
Karzai Agrees to Seat New Afghan Parliament -- New York Times
Karzai gives in on battle with new parliament -- McClatchy News
President Hamid Karzai agrees to let new Afghanistan parliament meet, averting crisis -- L.A. Times
Karzai backs down in dispute over Afghan parliament -- BBC
Deal on Afghan parliament opening 'in question' -- AFP
Afghan parliament deal brings protest, uncertainty -- Boston.com/AP
Karzai offers to inaugurate Afghan parliament next week -- CNN
Political uncertainty looms in Afghanistan as lawmakers' meeting ends -- CNN
Australian honoured for Afghanistan battle -- Yahoo News/AFP
Australia soldier gets Victoria Cross for Afghan battle -- BBC
VC recipient pays tribute to fallen diggers -- ABC News (Australia)
SAS corporal 'extremely humbled' to get VC -- Sydney Morning Herald
Victoria Cross for soldier who 'tore into' Taliban -- Herald Sun
British soldiers train in mock Afghan village -- AP
Afghan officials cite security firms with U.S. ties for violations -- Washington Post
German defense minister orders comprehensive military probe -- Deutsche Welle
The battle back home: Injured, scarred troops adapt to 'new normal' after Afghan war -- Toronto Sun
US opts for no-bid contract -- AP
Aid cuts to affect security, US official warns legislators -- DAWN
Afghan war 'will be won on West's TV screens' -- Mark Dodd, The Australian
Recent U.S. military deaths in Iraq, Afghanistan -- Kansas City