Taliban build up forces in Marjah

AFP:

NATO commanders called on the Taliban to surrender as troops dug in Monday for a major assault on one of the last insurgent strongholds in southern Afghanistan, sending thousands of residents fleeing.

The Taliban remained defiant as civilians of the Marjah plain accused the militia, which is leading an eight-year insurgency, of massing fighters and arms for a bloody battle in Helmand province expected to start this week.

Taliban fighters "prefer to stay and fight," Yousuf Ahmadi, a purported Taliban spokesman, told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location.

"Afghan and foreign forces have come to the Marjah area and our mujahedeen forces are also in the area firing rockets at them," he said.

Brigadier General Eric Tremblay, spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force, called on the militants to lay down their arms, and said the aim of the operation was to "separate the insurgents from the population".

"From a strategic perspective it would be better but they are under very high instructions from their senior leadership to stay and fight, and they are still under the impression that they are winning," he said.

A stream of frightened families were packing up their belongings and leaving Marjah, as provincial authorities set up emergency reception centres and stockpiled food and tents for up to 10,000 people.

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Getting what would become human shields out of the way to the battle suggest the revelations about the coming offensive has done at least part of what was intended. The more the Taliban mass their forces in the are, the easier it will be target them and destroy them with our aircraft and supporting arms. Having the civilians out of the the make means fewer restrictions. I would still not be surprised if the Taliban claim we a killing wedding parties. I think it would be a great information op if NATO told those in Marjah not to plan any wedding parties for the immediate future.