U.S.  launches offensive in Afghanistan

U.S. Marines and Afghan forces today launched a major operation
against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Some four-thousand U.S. Marines and sailors are taking part in the mission
along with more than 600 Afghan troops and police.
The operation is taking place in wheat and opium fields along the helmand
river… land that is controlled by the taliban.
Taliban fighters have resisted british-led nato forces for years.
The marines are on orders to hold, build and work toward the transition
of security responsibilities to afghan forces.