America's North Shore Journal

Marja has been characterized as representing the first test of President Barack Obama’s strategy to add 30,000 more troops in the fight against Afghanistan-based insurgents. As the initial phase of operations comes to a close, Lynn said, Marja has emerged as an area where hope is returning.

“Because of our new strategy, and President Obama’s deployment of additional troops, Marja is one of many cities in Afghanistan that has begun to have hope,” he said. “And with Pakistan’s capture of key Taliban leaders, the strategy of targeting adversaries on both sides of the border is paying off.”

Videos and photos of Operation Moshtarak in Marjah Afghanistan

During the meeting, three elder Afghan men sat down to talk with Marines and said they were glad Marines and Afghan national security forces had come to the area.

“We are happy you’re here for our security,” said one of the men. “The Taliban come in our homes and make us feed them. We have barely enough food for our own families. We just want to live in peace.”

Despite dislocating the insurgency within 24 hours of landing in the region, Feb. 13, Carter said, fighting continues in Marja, which to date has claimed the lives of six allied troops, including four Americans. Some 15,000 NATO and Afghan forces are engaged in Operation Moshtarak, which in Pashto and Dari means “Operation Together,” including 8,000 to 10,000 ground troops.

“In Marja itself, there remains stiff resistance from the insurgence,” Carter said. “And U.S. Marines in partnership with Afghan security forces are still fighting [an] intense series of actions, in the process of clearing Marja as a whole.”

When Operation Moshtarak kicked off here Feb. 13, Army helicopter crews from the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade inserted nearly 300 Marines and Afghan security forces into Marja, Afghanistan, under cover of darkness.

UH-60 Black Hawks, CH-47F Chinooks and AH-64 Apaches from Task Force Pegasus facilitated the air assault of Kilo Company, 3/6 Marines, in seizing their [...]

Here are three videos talking about the Marjah operation – Operation Moshtarak

The national flag of Afghanistan flew over the former Taleban “capital” of Showal yesterday, signaling the end to nearly two years of insurgent rule.

Shortly after dawn, a soldier of the Afghan National Army (ANA), climbed up a 60ft disused crane from which the white flag of the Taleban had flown – the colour is a symbol of their alleged Islamic purity.

Helmand Gov. Mangal and Afghan national army Brig. Gen. Zazai, 205th Atal Corps commander, addressed the media during a news conference in Lashkar Gah. In the evening, representatives of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, the U.N. World Food Program, the World Health Organization and local nongovernmental organizations reported that no increase has been observed in Afghans leaving Nad-e Ali as a result of the operation.

Gustafson is now looking to the future and says he is looking forward to a bright future outside of the Marine Corps.

“I took a lot of photos in Afghanistan,” said Gustafson. “I’m going to go to college in the fall and try and make a career out of it.”

Cpl. Brady Gustafson never faltered during the ambush and his heroism helped save the lives of all the Marines involved.