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Toll rises in Taleban town battle Toll rises in Taleban town battle
(about 3 hours later)
Twelve insurgents and two children have died during an assault by Afghan and international forces on a Taleban-held town, the Afghan defence ministry says.Twelve insurgents and two children have died during an assault by Afghan and international forces on a Taleban-held town, the Afghan defence ministry says.
The assault on Musa Qala, which began on Friday, is going "according to plan" a spokesman for Nato-led forces said. British and Afghan troops exchanged intense gunfire with Taleban fighters defending their stronghold Musa Qala, the only major Afghan town they hold.
A British spokesman described progress as steady, but said the fighting could go on for some days. Daytime skirmishes followed a move on the town by US troops on Friday night.
Musa Qala is the only major town held by the Taleban, who say they have 2,000 fighters there. The Taleban have held the town since February, when they retook it after British troops pulled out last year.
The coalition has reported no casualties, denying Taleban claims that several armoured vehicles had been destroyed.
The twelve Taleban were killed during fighting, while the two children were killed when security forces clashed with Taleban travelling in a convoy with civilians, a spokesman for the Afghan defence ministry said.The twelve Taleban were killed during fighting, while the two children were killed when security forces clashed with Taleban travelling in a convoy with civilians, a spokesman for the Afghan defence ministry said.
Drug trade stronghold The coalition has denied Taleban claims that several armoured vehicles had been destroyed.
The assault by British and Afghan forces began on Friday afternoon, from three directions. Iconic town
Several hundred US troops were later dropped from helicopters and fought on foot through the night. The Taleban faced attack from the air on Saturday, as well as sustained assault on the ground as they defended positions which they had surrounded with minefields.
The morale of the Taleban is high... We will fight until the death Mullah AhmadullahTaleban commander Afghan troops are playing a key part in the operationBritish and Afghan ground forces have taken positions south, west and east of the town, while US troops were dropped from helicopters and fought on foot through the night.
A British spokesman said their task was to "kick the door in", so Afghan government troops backed by British units could move in. UK Defence Minister Des Browne, who is in Kabul, said the town had taken on iconic importance.
The BBC's David Loyn in Kabul says the town - in Helmand province - has been the main centre of drugs trading in the country since the Taleban took control in February. It has taken on symbolic importance for both sides. The Taleban took it over in February, in contravention of a controversial deal brokered with tribal elders when British troops withdrew.
Civilian fears The morale of the Taleban is high... We will fight until the death Mullah AhmadullahTaleban commander It has since become the main centre of drugs trading in Afghanistan.
This is the first major operation where the new Afghan army is playing a leading role. The assault is the first major operation where the new Afghan army is playing a leading role.
Afghan troops are playing a key part in the operation"The Afghan national army in this operation has been performing outstandingly," said ISAF spokesman Brigadier-General Carlos Branco. Mr Browne said Afghan forces would lead the re-taking of the town, and would also take the lead in holding it afterwards.
"We don't have any doubts that the army is in condition to do its job properly, not only in this operation, but nationwide." Our correspondent says the Afghan government recognises that it will have to offer the people of Musa Qala something better than it did before.
Hundreds of local people fled after tribal elders were told of the attack and warning leaflets dropped from the air. Wider attacks
Hundreds of local people fled after tribal elders were told of the attack and warning leaflets were dropped from the air.
Musa Jan, a resident of Musa Qala district, told the Associated Press that residents were trying to keep Taleban fighters out of their homes:Musa Jan, a resident of Musa Qala district, told the Associated Press that residents were trying to keep Taleban fighters out of their homes:
"If we let the Taleban in, NATO will bomb our homes." "If we let the Taleban in, Nato will bomb our homes."
Withdrawal hope
The Taleban defences include hundreds of mines.
"The morale of the Taleban is high... We will fight until the death," Taleban commander Mullah Ahmadullah told the Associated Press news agency."The morale of the Taleban is high... We will fight until the death," Taleban commander Mullah Ahmadullah told the Associated Press news agency.
Taleban fighters have been given orders to carry out attacks far more widely than Musa Qala to try to deflect attention, but Nato sources say they have contingency plans to deal with that, our correspondent reports. Taleban fighters have been given orders to carry out attacks far more widely than Musa Qala to try to deflect attention, but Nato sources say they have contingency plans to deal with that.
Our correspondent says that the Taleban cannot hold on indefinitely with their Kalashnikovs and rocket-propelled grenades against the superior technical and tactical power of the international forces. Our correspondent says many of the Taleban fighters are expected to retreat when they believe the final assault is under way, but some, especially foreign fighters, may fight on and seek martyrdom.
He says Nato and Afghan commanders will be hoping the Taleban will stage a tactical withdrawal, but the fear is that some insurgents will stay to fight, hoping to become martyrs and inflict as many casualties as they can.
In other developments:In other developments:
  • The Taleban would not comment on a report by the chief of Helmand police that they had hanged a 12-year-old boy accused of spying for the British.
  • The Taleban would not comment on a report by the chief of Helmand police that they had hanged a 12-year-old boy accused of spying for the British.
  • A Nato soldier was killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, Isaf said in a statement, though it did not say where the incident happened.
  • A Nato soldier was killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, Isaf said in a statement, though it did not say where the incident happened.
  • US-led forces said they had dropped a precision-guided bomb on a militant compound in Musa Qala district, killing several militants, including a commander.
  • US-led forces said they had dropped a precision-guided bomb on a militant compound in Musa Qala district, killing several militants, including a commander.
    • Controversial deal Questions over deal
    The Taleban takeover of Musa Qala was in contravention of a deal brokered with tribal elders when British troops withdrew from the town last year. The agreement brokered over Musa Qala when British forces left was highly controversial.
    The highly controversial move was portrayed at the time as a "win-win" situation, with the Taleban and British pull-out leaving local forces to assume control of local government. It was portrayed at the time as a "win-win" situation, with the Taleban and British pull-out leaving local forces to assume control of local government.
    British officers maintained it was a redeployment rather than a withdrawal; freeing them up to take on Taleban forces in other parts of Helmand.British officers maintained it was a redeployment rather than a withdrawal; freeing them up to take on Taleban forces in other parts of Helmand.
    It was even suggested that it could act as a model for reducing violence in the volatile province. But the deal was strongly criticised by some Afghan and US officials.