US marines from the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade make preparations for helicopter transport at Camp DwyerPhotograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty ImagesThe marines were sent in to the region by air and ground transport under cover of darknessPhotograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty ImagesThe offensive involves nearly 4,000 marines and 650 Afghan forcesPhotograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty Images
Operation Khanjar is seen as the first major test of Barack Obama's strategy to wrest the initiative from the TalibanPhotograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty ImagesOnce on the ground, the marines will meet local leaders and act on their concerns, a spokesman saidPhotograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty ImagesMarines wait to board helicopters to take part in Operation KhanjarPhotograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty ImagesA US captain claimed the marines took many insurgents by surprisePhotograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty ImagesThe operation was described by officials as the largest and fastest-moving of the war's new phasePhotograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty ImagesA night-vision image of marines from 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 3Photograph: Us Marines/EPABoarding a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter at Camp Bastion, in Helmand provincePhotograph: Us Marines/EPAMarines from 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, RCT 2nd Battalion 8th Marines Echo Co are airlifted by helicopter into HelmandPhotograph: Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesMarines run to a new position as they take enemy fire in Main PoshtehPhotograph: Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesA marine yells to his colleagues as they take enemy firePhotograph: Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesAfghan soldiers and US marines on patrol togetherPhotograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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