Troops overrun Taliban town, British PM in Afghanistan
KABUL (AFP) — Afghan troops fought their way into the centre of southern Taliban stronghold Musa Qala on Monday but encountered only light resistance as the rebels melted away, officials and the militants said.
As British Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid a surprise visit to Helmand province, soldiers pushed into Musa Qala's centre on day four of a major operation to re-take the town.
"Our troops are in the centre of the town but the Taliban might be around," Afghan defence ministry spokesman General Mohammad Zahir Azimi said.
Troops were clearing the area, his ministry said, adding that Taliban resistance had "crashed."
A spokesman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) also said Afghan troops had entered Musa Qala, which was overrun by hundreds of rebels in early February.
"They are in the centre of the town," Major Charles Anthony said.
The alliance said ISAF and Afghan troops were "consolidating their positions" and making "deliberate, appropriate and measured" progress.
Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi said the militants had retreated to prevent civilian deaths in air strikes.
Residents said militants, who earlier put their number at about 2,000, had left the town without putting up serious opposition.
"The bazaar is empty. The only people seen were the Taliban walking out with their arms and rockets on their shoulders," said elderly resident Atta Mohammad.
"We see the NATO tanks and vehicles moving towards the town," said another man, Abdul Bari.
Two ISAF soldiers, two children and an unknown number of militants have been killed in the advance on Musa Qala, which was launched Friday.
The Taliban stormed the town 10 months ago, breaking a controversial deal in which British forces pulled out on the request of elders who said they would handle security after months of intense fighting.
Musa Qala then became a base for the fighters, whose insurgency is at its bloodiest this year with around 6,000 people dead, and the operation to take it back had been long awaited.
Brown, on his first visit to Afghanistan as prime minister, praised British troops who have played a key role as ISAF's lead nation in Helmand province.
"To win here and to defeat the Taliban and to make sure that we can give strength to the new democracy in Afghanistan is important in defeating terrorism all around the world," he told troops at British base Camp Bastion.
Brown, who later met President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, also promised help to Musa Qala's residents as soon as the military operation was over.
"When action is finally achieved against the Taliban and they are excluded from this area, we will be ready to support the economic and social development of the communities with projects and with support for local government," he said.
Helmand is Afghanistan's main opium-growing area and a stronghold for the Taliban militia removed from government in 2001 for harbouring Al-Qaeda leaders after the September 11 attacks on the United States.
The rebels, some of whom are backed by Al-Qaeda, have seized several district centres in southern Afghanistan but have been easily ejected.
