Afghan, Nato operation kills 32 Taliban: Helmand official

Thirty-two Taliban and three soldiers have been killed in an Afghan-Nato operation in Helmand province ahead of a major anti-Taliban push, the provincial government said on Thursday.

The operation took place in Nad Ali district, west of the provincial capital Lashkar Gar, on Wednesday, provincial government spokesman Daud Ahmadi told AFP.

“We had an operation in the Nad Ali area last night,” Ahmadi said.

“During the operation 32 Taliban were killed and the bodies of some of them remained in the area.”

The Marjah area, south of Nad Ali, is set to be the scene of a major military operation headed by US Marines who have been massing in their thousands, along with Afghan and Nato troops, for weeks in preparation.

Afghan and Nato officials said Wednesday the operation to clear the Taliban from one of their last bastions should begin soon but gave no specific timeframe.