Afghanistan's Marjah Offensive Largest Since 2001

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U.S. forces have encountered armed Taliban resistance, as the hostile town of Marjah,, in Southern Afghanistan, was invaded and is now being secured. Thought to be mostly abandoned by insurgents, it appears some Taliban soldiers have remained behind to engage in guerrilla warfare on the 4,800 U.S. soldiers and 1,500 Afghan troops, according to the Associated Press.

The enemy was thought to have fled Marjah, but evidence shows they do not wish to give their stronghold up without a fight. Instead of a traditional battle, numerous insurgents have disguised themselves as civilians in the city of 80,000 plus. The insurgents continue booby trapping areas of the town in attempts to sabotage U.S. forces.

All through Marjah, there were controlled explosions to disarm bombs hidden in dirt and embedded into house walls. U.S. troops have a variety of methods to detect and destroy these weapons, including bomb sniffing dogs, an armada of armored vehicles and anti-mine devices.

Serving in Iraq in 2007 is Marine Jonathon Seagraves. Seagraves has seen several of these bombs detonate and can attest to how dangerous they are. "It's like a whole new element to war," Seagraves stated.

"When one of these goes off next to you, it is pretty scary. Roadside bombs are so loud and the aftershock is incredible," Seagraves said. "Not only are you paranoid about these bombs, but you have to look out for enemy soldiers too. There could be thousands of bombs to look out for, the whole time an enemy may be staring you down with a scope," Seagraves said.

Actual enemy soldiers remain in the city, covertly meshing with the public, waiting for their time to strike. Approximately 400-800 insurgents remain as they are forced into smaller and smaller pockets in the city, according to ABC News. Firefights and sniping have been common as the Taliban slowly loses stake in their last home in the Helmand Valley.

John Collette, a Marine currently stationed in Thailand, has several colleagues stationed there now. "The most challenging task the U.S. has is winning the support of the Afghan people. Controlling this town is key to stopping opium farming over there," Collette said.

Positive interactions with the Marjah civilians are a high priority of U.S., NATO and Afghan troops. NATO vows to rush medical aid and necessities to the freshly liberated town. Exacerbating the situation are the civilian casualties already sustained, as many as 19 Marjah inhabitants have been killed since the invasion days ago, according to ABC News.

"The Taliban will do anything to prove that America is evil. This is why they dress up like civilians and put a target on the backs of their own people," Collette said.