British troops to be shifted from Helmand

Last Updated: Sunday, March 28, 2010, 13:07

Under a new plan being drawn up by NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, British troops would be withdrawn from Helmand province and be replaced by US Marines.

Clumsy Afghan suicide bomber blows himself up

Last Updated: Thursday, March 18, 2010, 15:52

A suicide-bomber in southern Afghanistan blew himself up while putting on a vest of explosives, an official said.

‘Operation Moshtarak’ in Helmand

Last Updated: Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 16:00

Helmand - Afghanistan’s largest province - in an earlier period had a flourishing rural economy based on agriculture, horticulture and fisheries.

Afghan-NATO operation kills 32 Taliban: Helmand official

Last Updated: Thursday, February 4, 2010, 21:56

Thirty-two Taliban and three soldiers have been killed in an Afghan-NATO operation in Helmand province ahead of a major anti-Taliban push, the provincial government said on Thursday.

Fighting breaks out in southern Afghan city

Last Updated: Friday, January 29, 2010, 14:07

A security official says a gunbattle has broken out between militants wearing suicide vests and security forces in a major city in southern Afghanistan.

Four policemen killed at Afghan checkpoint

Last Updated: Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 13:09

An official says four Afghan policemen have been killed in a volatile area in southern Afghanistan.

US to take lead role in southern Afghanistan: Report

Last Updated: Thursday, January 14, 2010, 10:51

The United States forces are to take over the main role in southern Afghanistan from the British in a shake-up of the region`s command structure, a newspaper reported on Thursday.

Britain mulls `pullback from part of Afghan region`

Last Updated: Saturday, January 9, 2010, 13:32

Britain`s military may hand control of parts of Afghanistan`s Taliban-infested Helmand province to their US counterparts, the Times reported on Saturday citing unnamed military officials.

US Marines, Afghan troops continue offensive in Helmand

Last Updated: Saturday, December 5, 2009, 14:43

US Marines and Afghan troops, conducting the first offensive since the new American war plan was announced, met little resistance from insurgents on Saturday.

9,000 Marines to Helmand after Obama speech: Report

Last Updated: Sunday, November 29, 2009, 11:17

The US military will deploy up to 9,000 Marines to Afghanistan`s Helmand province -- doubling US presence there -- in the days after President Barack Obama`s war strategy announcement this week, the Washington Post said.

Afghans move toward reconciliation with Taliban

Last Updated: Monday, August 24, 2009, 20:47

Once the national elections are behind them, local Afghan leaders will step up efforts to reconcile with midlevel Taliban in the extremists` southern Helmand province stronghold, a key provincial official said on Monday.