Taliban town in NATO crosshairs

U.S. forces, backed up by Afghan army troops and their Canadian trainers, began a preliminary operation Tuesday in advance of an expected offensive to take the largest Taliban-controlled town in southern Afghanistan.

About 400 U.S. soldiers, together with 250 Afghan soldiers and 30 Canadian instructors, moved into positions northeast of the town of Marjah.

There were no reports of casualties, but large plumes of smoke could be seen, and machine-gun fire and grenade explosions could be heard.

Afghan and NATO officials told the Taliban holding Marjah to lay down their arms.

They also warned civilians to be wary.

"The message to the people of the area is, of course, keep your heads down, stay inside when the operation is going ahead," said Mark Sedwill, NATO's civilian chief in Afghanistan.

Gulab Mangal, Helmand province governor,said least 164 families had left the town of 80,000, adding that a commission was ready to handle refugees from the area.

U.S. military officials have not said when the attack on Marjah will come, but the buildup has been announced loudly.