Six Nato troops killed in Marjah

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February 19 2010

Six Nato troops have been killed in Afghanistan in the worst single-day loss for international forces since the launch of a big offensive to drive Taliban insurgents from the town of Marjah.

The deaths on Thursday, followed by the loss of another soldier on Friday, underscore the risks US, UK and Afghan troops face as they seek to clear what commanders describe as pockets of resistance by fighters digging in to resist one of the biggest operations launched by Nato in Afghanistan since 2001.

The seven casualties brought the death toll of international troops from the six-day operation to 12, an official for the Nato-led force in Afghanistan said.

More than a dozen civilians have also lost their lives in the operation. Provincial officials said several dozen insurgents had been killed.

read more: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6754b44a-1d2e-11df-b12e-00144feab49a.html