Coalition Plays Down Afghan Reports Of Major Battle In Helmand -- New York Times
KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban attacked Afghan police posts in a violent and long-contested corner of southern Afghanistan, setting off two days of clashes that left at least six police officers dead, Afghan officials said Tuesday, though the American-led coalition played down the violence as little more than “drive-by shootings.”
The Afghan government portrayed the fighting in the Sangin district of Helmand Province, which began Monday, as a major victory for its forces, with officials describing a massive Taliban effort to overrun the area. Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor, put the number of attackers at 1,000 and said Arab and Chechen insurgents — that is, Al Qaeda members — were fighting alongside the Taliban.
The Taliban also claimed to be engaged in a broad assault on Sangin, saying in a text message to reporters that insurgents had overrun three police posts and were close to taking more.
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Update: ISAF Statement on Media Report of 500 -1,000 Insurgents in Helmand Attacking Check Points -- ISAF
My Comment: When I first read of reports of a major Taliban offensive in Helmand province I was surprised .... the logistics of assembling 1,000 fighters and then coordinating a string of attacks is no easy feat. It now appears that initial reports were exaggerated, but this news story reveals how nervous everyone is in Afghanistan right now as ISAF forces prepare to leave.
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