Afghan, NATO forces seize Afghan village

PARUN, Afghanistan, July 15 (UPI) -- Afghan and NATO forces seized control over the village of Barge Matal in the northern Afghan province of Nuristan following a battle with Taliban insurgents.

Taliban fighters had taken control over the village in the eastern province in early July. Afghan and NATO forces entered the area, eventually overtaking the insurgents in a lengthy gunfight during the weekend.

Service members have reclaimed the village, the U.S. Defense Department said. Soldiers securing the area reportedly found bags of voter-registration cards belonging to female villagers.

The Defense Department said this suggests insurgents are attempting to disrupt national elections scheduled for August by ensuring women cannot vote.

Coalition forces also uncovered a large weapons cache in a hotel that soldiers said was used as an insurgent hideout.

NATO and Afghan forces are said to have plans to coordinate with village elders on the security situation in Barge Matal and return the voter-identification cards to the women.

The effort is part of the latest push to control the spiraling insurgency in Afghanistan. Around 4,000 Marines and 650 Afghan soldiers have descended on the southern Afghan province of Helmand in support of Operation Strike of the Sword, meant to take control over Taliban-held areas.

Marine Gen. Lawrence Nicholson, commander of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, said recently that his troops have taken control of "a large swath" of Taliban-controlled land in that operation.