NATO forces and the US-backed government of President Hamid
Karzai were compelled to launch a major operation last week to
dislodge hundreds of anti-occupation fighters who had seized control
of villages in the Arghandab valley, just 16 kilometres to the
northwest of Kandahar city. Some of the 1,000-plus prisoners who
were freed during the assault on the Sarposa prison in Kandahar
on June 13 may have been involved. They reportedly linked up with
insurgents who had recently crossed into Afghanistan from safe-havens
inside Pakistan.

A 700-strong battalion of the Afghan Army was rushed to Arghandab
from Kabul to reinforce local units and spearhead the offensive
to retake as many as 10 villages. NATO aircraft dropped leaflets
advising the population to remain in their homes. However, after
years of US air strikes and artillery barrages inflicting civilian
deaths and injuries, thousands of people elected to flee. A police
officer manning a checkpoint on the occupation-held eastern side
of the Arghandab River told Reuters that as many as 4,000 villagers
left the area for Kandahar.

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