French troops spearhead assault in Afghanistan

December 18, 2009 by Infowars Ireland

news.bbc.co.uk

More than 1,100 troops have launched a major operation in Afghanistan’s eastern Uzbin Valley.

The force includes 800 French legionnaires, together with US and Afghan soldiers.

Ten French soldiers were killed in the area in August 2008 when they were ambushed by Taliban fighters.

A further 21 French troops were wounded, in one of the heaviest tolls suffered by the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).

The operation is aimed at “reaffirming the sovereignty of Afghan security forces in the north of the Uzbin Valley”, Col Benoit Durieux of the French Foreign Legion told the AFP news agency.

The French have codenamed the offensive Septentrion. It follows weeks of negotiations with local villagers.

Last year’s ambush was in the area of Sarobi, some 50km (30 miles) east of Kabul.

At the time it was seen as a warning that insurgents were closing in on the Afghan capital, and was thought to be the heaviest loss of life suffered by the French military since 58 paratroopers were killed in Beirut in 1983.

A French military spokesman said Thursday’s operation was a “demonstration of force… meant to assure the local population of our presence”. Read more…

French Afghan assault concludes

A major assault by coalition troops in Afghanistan’s eastern Uzbin Valley has concluded, military officials say.

French military spokesman Rear Admiral Christophe Prazuck told the AP news agency that the offensive had been a success and its objectives achieved.

He said that 1,100 coalition troops – which included 800 French legionnaires, together with US and Afghan soldiers – were now withdrawing.

Ten French soldiers were killed in the area in 2008 in a Taliban ambush.

“The objective was to go into a place where nobody has ever been before,” Adm Prazuck said.

He said that the offensive was launched “to show these insurgents that we can go where we want when we want”.

Adm Prazuck said several American soldiers were wounded in the operation in the Uzbin Valley east of Kabul – including American special forces who were targeted from a neighbouring valley.

Coalition forces say that while 75% of Uzbin Valley had been under their control, one corner of it had remained in the hands of insurgents. Read more…