Noël dans la boue afghane pour les Royal Marines
1.500 combattants des royal Marines, troupes d'élite britanniques, ont livré pendant 18 jours au moment de Noël, une bataille digne des combats de la Somme dans la province du Hemland, au centre de l'Afghanistan.
Loin des guirlandes et des arbres de Noël, la guerre a laissé son cortège de morts et de blessés : cinq soldats britanniques tués, des douzaines de blessés parmi les forces britanniques, une centaine de talibans tués.
Last Updated: 2:09PM GMT 04 Jan 2009
Fighting conditions during fierce conflicts over the Christmas period have been compared to those in the trenches of the First World War Photo: Sgt James Elmer ABIPP
The offensive in Afghanistan's central Helmand province involved more than 1,500 troops and was one of the largest operations mounted by Royal Marines since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.
It was fought over 18 days around the town of Nad-e-Ali to capture four key Taliban strongholds.
Some of the Royal Marines taking part trudged more than 60km through mud with packs on their backs while also fighting insurgents at close quarters, the MoD revealed.
Technorati tags: afghanistan, royal marine, hemland, guerre