Us Forces Settle Into Afghan Taliban Heartland

U.S. Marine takes a position next to piles of dried poppy bulbs in the village of Noghara in the Nawa district in Afghanistan's Helmand province, 03 Jul 2009The U.S.-led push to confront militants and win-over local Afghans inthe Taliban-controlled south continued Friday, with troops moving intomore remote villages.

Some 4,000 U.S. Marines and severalhundred Afghan forces are taking up positions in southern Afghanistan'sHelmand province - a remote militant stronghold that has largelyresisted central government control.

Troops reportedly metonly isolated pockets of resistance as they set up outposts and soughtout local civilian leaders. The operation is aimed at cutting offTaliban supply lines, winning over locals who are sympathetic to themilitants and maintaining security for the August presidentialelections.

The U.S. military says one Marine has been killed and several others wounded in the offensive.

Ineastern Afghanistan, U.S. officials say the military is using allavailable resources to find an American soldier believed to have beencaptured by militants in Paktika province on Tuesday.

Theoffensive in the south marks the first major operation under U.S.President Barack Obama's revamped strategy to defeat an increasinglyviolent Taliban insurgency.

Pakistan has re-deployed some of itstroops to the border with Afghanistan to stop insurgents who may befleeing the offensive in Helmand province.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.