Taliban Kill Ex-Official, 25 Family Members
Taliban fighters killed a former local official and four of his bodyguards in an ambush in a southern province, then killed 25 members of his family when they went to collect his body, relatives and officials said today.
The violence in Helmand came as U.S. soldiers pressed a major offensive into Baghran Valley in the northern part of the province.
More than 10,000 coalition soldiers are spread out over four southern provinces in Operation Mountain Thrust, aimed at quelling a surge of Taliban attacks. The offensive is the largest operation since the 2001 ouster of the former regime.
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