New U.S. troops set to fight Taliban around Kabul

By Jonathon Burch Jonathon Burch –

Wed Jan 28, 2009, 10:51 am ET

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Reuters) –

Some 3,000 new U.S. soldiers have set up bases near the Afghan capital, Kabul, to begin driving out Taliban in an area which has so far seen little military presence, the U.S. army said on Wednesday.

Around 3,500 soldiers started arriving in Afghanistan this month in the first phase of a troop increase that will almost double the U.S. military presence in the war-torn country, currently at about 35,000.

The majority of the new brigade from the 10th Mountain Division -- around 3,000 soldiers -- are now stationed in bases in Maidan Wardak and Logar provinces to the south of Kabul.

The remainder have been sent to Kunar province in the northeast on the Pakistani border.

"We're expecting a spike in (war attacks) upon our arrival. There haven't been any U.S. forces in this area, so the (Taliban fighters) have pretty much had free rein," said Lieutenant Colonel Steven Osterholzer, spokesman for the brigade.

"Us just physically being in this region is going to increase troops in contact and probably IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices)."

Violent conflict surged in Afghanistan last year with some 5,000 people killed and with more attacks around Kabul, Taliban fighters are slowly encircling the capital.

"We know there are Taliban forces operating in those areas. We plan on being aggressive. We want to identify the sanctuaries and deny them access and the freedom of movement," said Osterholzer.

A major problem facing international (NATO) troops in Afghanistan, military leaders say, is that there are not enough of them to be able to effectively hold areas wrested from Taliban control.

U.S. and NATO forces in the country total about 65,000.

"We've had forces in the past who have gone through a valley and have pushed them out. But they moved on and the (Taliban fighters) have moved back in. That's one of the reasons why we're being brought in," said Osterholzer.

One of the first tasks the new brigade will carry out is to secure the main highway running through Maidan Wardak to Kabul.

(Reporting by Jonathon Burch; Editing by Richard Meares).

Afghanistan delays presidential election

updated 7:41 a.m. EST, Thu January 29, 2009

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) --

Afghanistan is postponing its presidential elections until August 20 due to security and logistical concerns, the country's election commission said Thursday.

The balloting was originally scheduled for late May, but the independent election commission laid out several reasons for the delay.

Security is a factor, the commission said. It also cited a lack of trained staff, incomplete voter registration and the weather.

It is difficult to campaign or distribute ballots during the rough winter months in the rugged landscape.

The elections are a critical moment for Afghanistan as President Hamid Karzai's five-year term ends. He was elected in December 2004 in largely peaceful polling.

But since then, the Taliban (resistance) movement has regrouped, international troop deaths have increased and there has been an increase in resistance attacks, mostly in eastern and southern Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has already registered 3 million voters and is holding voter drives to register more.

The United States will deploy additional troops in coming months to provide much-needed security in the run-up to the election.

The country expects to hold parliamentary elections in 2010.

Meanwhile on Wednesday coalition forces fighting in southern Afghanistan killed four (alleged Taliban fighters), the U.S. military said.

Coalition (NATO) soldiers were targeting a Taliban leader in the Zabul province when (Taliban fighters) fired on them, according to a military statement. Soldiers returned fire, killing the four (alleged fighters). Soldiers then searched their compound and confiscated several assault rifles.

This operation comes as the U.S. military is contemplating adding three brigades to the war effort in Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday that the troop build up could happen by this summer.