General wants more Afghan troops

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. Marine general commanding the offensive in southern Afghanistan said Wednesday more Afghan troops should be involved in the fight against the Taliban.

Brig. Gen. Larry Nelson, who leads the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, talked to Pentagon reporters by phone from Helmand Province, CNN reported.

About 4,000 U.S. Marines are involved in the offensive against the Taliban with 650 Afghan troops.

"I'd like to have every Marine battalion partnered with an Afghan battalion," Nicholson said. "Imagine if I had 4,000 Marines with 4,000 Afghan forces."

He said the offensive has enjoyed "relative success" since it began Thursday. But he said it would have been far greater with more Afghan forces.

The U.S. military reported a soldier was killed Wednesday in western Afghanistan, bringing the number of combat deaths this week to nine since Monday.