Flag raising in Marjah

CNN:

Authorities raised the Afghan flag over the battle-scarred enclave of Marjah on Thursday, a ceremony symbolizing the presence of the Afghan government in the Taliban stronghold.

The red, black and green banner was hoisted over an area where U.S. and other troops have been fighting the Taliban in Operation Moshtarak -- the biggest offensive of the war.

A few hundred people watched the event, attended by Helmand Gov. Gulab Mangal, other provincial and local officials, and military officials.

"I think we're feeling pretty good about the control of the populated areas, the infrastructure," said Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, commander of U.S. Marines in southern Afghanistan.

...

There appears to have been no final battle as such in Marjah. We went from pockets of resistance to a flag raising in a matter of days.This all happened within a week of commanders saying it might take another 30 days to clear the Taliban. I suspect they got hungry and ran out of ammo. The locals were talking about running out of food and water a few days ago, so I suspect the Taliban had the same problem and knew they would get no MREs while they were still fighting.

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