The United States Pentagon says a US Marine has been captured by Taliban militants in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The Pentagon said this is the first time one its military personnel has fallen into the hands of the Islamist movement.

News of the capture came as the US begins a large-scale offensive in the province, which is mainly in the Taliban’s hands. Around 4000 Marines, supported by helicopters and tanks, are engaged in the offensive, which is code-named Khanjar. Khanjar means ‘curved dagger’ in Dari and Pashtun, but has been translated by the Marines as ‘Strike of the Sword’.

On the first day of the offensive, US forces scored a victory by seizing the secluded district of Khanishin. There was no resistance. In other locations, they engaged in minor skirmishes. One Marine has been reported killed.

The aim of the attack, the first large US offensive in Afghanistan since President Barack Obama took office in January, is to deal a decisive blow against the Taliban in one of their most important bastions. The military operation in Afghanistan is one of the spearheads in his anti-terrorism policy.

Photo by toyohara (flickr)