[Quqnoos] A contingent of additional 10,000 US troops recently arrived in Afghanistan's volatile province of Helmand, officials said. Major General Mart de Kruif, the Dutch commander for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in southern Afghanistan said the new troops will boost the counter-insurgency efforts in the Afghan restive region.
Soon after taking the office, President Obama vowed to send an extra 17,000 troops to Afghanistan ahead of the Afghan presidential and provincial council elections in August 20. The remaining troops are expected to arrive in Afghanistan within a month to safeguard the polls.
The troops landed in Helmand province where around 8,000 British forces have encountered a bloody Taliban fighting over the past four years. A part of the new forces are likely to be stationed across the southern region during the elections.
Gen Kruif revealed with the advent of the new troops on the ground in Helmand, will significantly increase the levels of operations against the Taliban militants. "We are beginning a new phase of operations against the militants," the Dutch Gen added. |