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Show HERALD DAILY AS .v - j II J Vv " Taliban embattled near Kandahar rrv i Illy Militants said to have been expelled from remaining villages they occupied f Y ASSOCIATED THE PRESS ARGHANDAB, Afghani- ALLAUDDIN Press KHANAssociated Az-im- stan A swift offensive by Afghan and NATO forces has driven Taliban militants from a strategic group of villages outside southern Afghanistan's largest city and killed 56 in British soldiers stand at the gate of their temporary base in Kandahar, Afghanistan on Thursday. of the operation in Arghandab had been "very successful" "No large formation of insurgents were met or spotsurgents, Afghan officials said ted. Only minor incidents ocThursday. curred," alliance spokesman Gea Mohammad Zahir Azi-m- i, Maj. Gea Carlos Branco said i. spokesman for the Defense at a news conference with "The insurgents who were Ministry, said the Afghan National Army had seized control there, were evidently not in the of the villages. Two Afghan numbers or. with the foothold soldiers and one civilian were that they have claimed." also reported killed. Mark Laity, another NATO NATO said the first 24 hours spokesman, said the alliance Noor Khan " Friday, June 20, 2008 launched a "limited number" of airstrikes overnight. He had no definite figure for casualties. The deputy commander of Afghan forces in Kandahar, Aminullah Pathyani, also said militants had been pushed out of the remaining six villages they still controlled on Wednesday. Afghan officials have said that the Taliban infiltrated 10 villages in the Arghandab river valley, a region just' 10 miles northwest of Kandahar city. Arghandab is a key military vantage point sought by the Taliban for its proximity to the city, their former power g base. BMM 7 1 , "1 f T n0 Afghan officials have said that up to 400 militants poured mio me Argnanaao area, l nar followed a bold Taliban attack on the Kandahar prison last Friday that freed 900 inmates, including 400 Taliban fighters. U.S. and NATO officials have repeatedly played down the scope of the Taliban push into Arghandab. But the swift 1,400 military response Afghan soldiers were rushed by air and road to Kandahar and the fighter aircraft dedicated by NATO suggest that keeping Arghandab clear of militants is an urgent priority. Azimi said rwo Argnan soldiers were killed and two more wounded. The 56 insurgents killed included several foreign fighters, he said. Kandahar Gov. Asadullah Khalid said one civilian also was killed in a gunbattle during the operation. Journalists could not access the combat zone, and it was not immediately to get independent confirmation of the casualty figures. It was unclear when the hundreds of families who fled the area before the fighting would be able to return. Azimi said tfbops were still combing the area for any militants still hiding there as well as checking for mines and bombs, Branco said the displaced villagers were staying with friends and relatives in Kandahar and other areas and that there was "no humanitarian " HURRY IN AND SAVE ON A FRESH SELECTION OF SPRING a SUMMER CASUALS & SANDALS 1 w fl 1 w u mn mm crisis." Khalid spoke to report ers on the reof of a shrine which gives a view over the Arghandab River into the contested area. An Associated 4 ' : LADIES', PETITES' & j I SPRING y WOMAN SPORTSWEAR . L I iLdL PETITES' & SELECTED I ili I 1 I SPORTSWEAR V DRESSES Vf f ; KNIT 1 SHIRTS ! 3mJ dl J URBAN & ACTION SPORTS APPAREL VjK - VMv 7.a r v TTl rjZZTZ T t - fighting. Echoing the recent words of President Hamid Karzai, he warned Taliban leaders Mullah Omar and Baitullah Mehsud j the latter Pakistan's top YOUNG MEN'S II ADIDAS & I TRADITIONAL '" bi. 1 FROM NIKE, "Vj fii V, if 'sV MEN'S AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY, ACTIVEWEAR "V I J uL-l- I LADIES' ( ? J LADIES', WOMAN 1 -' -- jV"'J"" I - IPs ; Ar-- " MENS EUROPEAN .j' fey ' SPORTSWEAR A V- BETTER DILLARD'S DILLARD'S FE LADIES' A Press reporter saw Afghan and Canadian troops moving in convoys but no signs of combat, or of any villagers returning. Khalid claimed that, in all, "hundreds" of militants had been killed or wounded in the k J v f ZIIIZZ Tv IX M Tal- iban commander that their fighters will be "punished" for carrying out terrorist activities in Afghanistan. Karzai threatened to send Afghan trnnns into Pakistan to tackle Taliban militants believed to operate from there an outburst that cooled Kabul's already tense relations with Islamabad. Meanwhile, the Taliban announced on a Web site used by the militants that a group of suicide bombers had entered Kandahar city to attack Canadian and Afghan troops and government officials, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, an organization that monitors militant Web sites. Branco said police dismantled several bombs in the city on Wednesday thanks to s, but insisted the city was enjoying "relative calm and remains firmly under the control of the Afghan government and tip-off- win N V,V-,- FUP-FLO- Rahim Faiei and Jason Straziuso in Kabul writers GIRLS' LADIES' H SELECTED I Associated Press j 1 " JUNIORS' fwi its people." SELECTED A STATUS SUNDRESSES i' J? DRESSES CAPRIS& A . $ RECEIVE 20s Reward Certificates you open a account' IT i I oLJl cj O10 aras Wm A.C I w ;' i I i J 4 from See era 8uanc apptcahon or AFGHAN. f ' I VARIES BY STORE. LIMITED TO STOCK ON HAND. merchandise is selected, unless otherwise noted. Sale prices are off of original prices. merchandise is not included. Basic, Sorry, no price adjustments given on previous purchases. We cannot accept phone or mail orders on clearance merchandise. ) Kabul " r' Lashkar --v (ian 1 $ Helmand j PAK. o 100 0 100m i SOURCE: ESRI SELECTION All EARN REWARD POINTS toward more DfcrdS Reward Certificates every time you shop. to crovi aporwd CictiIw fat ooawig a Dfcrd Card acccuK w Kme win the Matte Card and expire 60 days Rewards Program terms.. 10-- 9 Shoo Mondav-Surda- v and Sunday 12-- at ill Dlllard'i locntinno at Provo Towna Centra. In Salt Laka City at FasWon Placa and South Towne Center. In Ogden, at Newgate Mall. In Logan, at Cache Valley Mall. We welcome yoUr Dillard's Credit Card, The American Express Card, Diners Club International, Mastercard? Visa and The Discover Card. 6 In Provo, ; ' I J i H, t VM CROPS c. ('fctH ,vtriV' DENIM P contributed to this report. ." I LITERS TO 'Iil! TOR GNU: , AP |