Troops Take Positions in Taliban Haven

US-led Nato troops have launched a long-expected attack on the biggest Taliban-held town in the south of Afghanistan. Helicopter-borne US marines and Afghan troops backed by British forces swept into Taliban-held town of Marjah, in the centre of Helmand province, early on Saturday. Thousands of US and Afghan troops are taking part in the offensive, which seeks to undermine support for the Taliban and re-establish government control in the area. The offensive, known as Operation Moshtarak, the Dari word for "together", is the biggest joint Afghan-international offensive of the war. It is the largest combat operation since Barack Obama, the US president, ordered 30,000 US reinforcements to Afghanistan last December. Danish, Estonian and Canadian troops are also involved in the campaign.