Hundreds of Taliban Take Over Villages in Southern Afghanistan
By VOA News
16 June 2008
Afghan officials say hundreds of Taliban rebels have taken over villages in the southern province of Kandahar.
Officials say about 500 Taliban fighters captured several villages in Arghandab district, not far from Kandahar city, Monday.
NATO civilian spokesman, Mark Laity says NATO and Afghan troops are redeploying in the region to respond to any potential threats, after hundreds of Taliban broke out of a prison in the area last week.
The Taliban fighters were among nearly 1,200 inmates who broke out of the Kandahar prison Friday.
Afghan and foreign forces have been battling Taliban insurgents since the U.S.-led coalition pushed the Taliban government from power in 2001.
Britain announced that it will send 230 more troops to Afghanistan to help the fight. That will put 8,030 British troops in Afghanistan by early 2009.
NATO has about 40,000 troops in the country. The United States has contributed the most troops, and has called on other alliance members for an increased commitment to the war in Afghanistan.
The U.S.-led coalition said 35 insurgents were killed on Saturday and Sunday in separate attacks in the southern provinces of Zabul and Helmand.
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