Six days into the Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan, US-led troops are being greeted with anger and guarded hope from Helmand residents.
"The Marja operation will bring us nothing," Abdu Ahad told The Washington Post on Thursday, February 18, from his hospital bed.
The villager has lost his mother, father, four brothers and sisters and four relatives in a US rocket attack at the start of the Helmand offensive.
"Now I am alone."
Nearly 15,000 US-led troops launched a massive onslaught - dubbed Mushtarak (Together) - into Helmand on Saturday to root out Taliban fighters.
Although death tolls are impossible to confirm, at least 15 civilians were killed so far in the offensive, in addition to six NATO soldiers and 40 Taliban fighters.
"'We want this operation to be finished as soon as possible. We are in trouble. We don't have enough food. We need help,'" a tribal elder quoted residents as appealing.
Amnesty International says up to 10,000 people have fled the conflict area and thousands more remain trapped by the fighting.
"This is just about the Americans and the British trying to show something to get the support from their own people," fumes Bismillah Afghanmal, a Kandahar politician.
"They are throwing soil in the eyes of their own people. But not in our eyes. We can see the reality."
The politician is sceptical about the outcome of the operation, the biggest since the 2001 US invasion.
"Let's say there were 100 Taliban in Marja, or even 200 Taliban. They're just the local people," he contended.
"They just hide their Kalashnikovs in their home, and, instead of a Kalashnikov, they put a shovel on their shoulder and say they're a farmer. What will you accomplish?"
Guarded Hope
Despite the losses, some residents are greeting the military offensive with guarded hope.
"Fighting is not handing out cookies, it's gunfire and rockets, and there will be casualties," said Haji Khalifa Mohammad Shah, a tribal elder.
"But we are happy about this operation, and it will secure our area."
Mullah Tor Padkai, a Marja resident, shares the same optimism.
"We hope they'll get rid of the oppressors in the district.
"Even though we lost civilians, we are happy that we will have the freedom."
The West-backed Kabul government says the offensive aims to extend its authority to the region.
Its troops on Wednesday raised their flag over a badly damaged market in the Taliban stronghold of Marjah.
The bazaar was a forlorn sight -- shops and buildings were badly damaged from fighting and barbed wire sealed off roads believed to be heavily mined.
But provincial governor Mohammad Gulab Mangal, who toured the battle-scarred terrain, said it was too early to declare Marjah "cleared" completely of militants or their mines.
Lawmaker Haji Mohammad Anwar Isakzai believes the issue goes beyond winning the fight.
"The people of Helmand, the majority of them, welcome these kinds of operations," he noted.
"But what they are worried about is the local government after this operation is over. "Who will be the local authority? How will they treat the people?"
"The Marja operation will bring us nothing," Abdu Ahad told The Washington Post on Thursday, February 18, from his hospital bed.
The villager has lost his mother, father, four brothers and sisters and four relatives in a US rocket attack at the start of the Helmand offensive.
"Now I am alone."
Nearly 15,000 US-led troops launched a massive onslaught - dubbed Mushtarak (Together) - into Helmand on Saturday to root out Taliban fighters.
Although death tolls are impossible to confirm, at least 15 civilians were killed so far in the offensive, in addition to six NATO soldiers and 40 Taliban fighters.
"'We want this operation to be finished as soon as possible. We are in trouble. We don't have enough food. We need help,'" a tribal elder quoted residents as appealing.
Amnesty International says up to 10,000 people have fled the conflict area and thousands more remain trapped by the fighting.
"This is just about the Americans and the British trying to show something to get the support from their own people," fumes Bismillah Afghanmal, a Kandahar politician.
"They are throwing soil in the eyes of their own people. But not in our eyes. We can see the reality."
The politician is sceptical about the outcome of the operation, the biggest since the 2001 US invasion.
"Let's say there were 100 Taliban in Marja, or even 200 Taliban. They're just the local people," he contended.
"They just hide their Kalashnikovs in their home, and, instead of a Kalashnikov, they put a shovel on their shoulder and say they're a farmer. What will you accomplish?"
Guarded Hope
Despite the losses, some residents are greeting the military offensive with guarded hope.
"Fighting is not handing out cookies, it's gunfire and rockets, and there will be casualties," said Haji Khalifa Mohammad Shah, a tribal elder.
"But we are happy about this operation, and it will secure our area."
Mullah Tor Padkai, a Marja resident, shares the same optimism.
"We hope they'll get rid of the oppressors in the district.
"Even though we lost civilians, we are happy that we will have the freedom."
The West-backed Kabul government says the offensive aims to extend its authority to the region.
Its troops on Wednesday raised their flag over a badly damaged market in the Taliban stronghold of Marjah.
The bazaar was a forlorn sight -- shops and buildings were badly damaged from fighting and barbed wire sealed off roads believed to be heavily mined.
But provincial governor Mohammad Gulab Mangal, who toured the battle-scarred terrain, said it was too early to declare Marjah "cleared" completely of militants or their mines.
Lawmaker Haji Mohammad Anwar Isakzai believes the issue goes beyond winning the fight.
"The people of Helmand, the majority of them, welcome these kinds of operations," he noted.
"But what they are worried about is the local government after this operation is over. "Who will be the local authority? How will they treat the people?"
