MARJA, Afghanistan, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- The Taliban, facing the second week of NATO's Operation Moshtarak in south Afghanistan, were putting up "determined resistance, military officials said.
The combined 15,000-strong NATO and Afghan "Togetherness" operation in Helmand province continued to make progress in key Taliban-stronghold areas including Marja, with "route clearance operations improving freedom of movement," NATO's International Security Assistance Force reported on its Web site.
"In Marja, determined resistance is again reported in some areas," the report said. "The Regional Command-South commander believes the clearing phase is progressing well and will take at least 30 days to complete."
Some shops reopened in the Naqelabad Kalay bazaar during the weekend "and were busy with many customers," the report said.
"As Operation Moshtarak enters its second week, local people in Marja have voiced their thanks to the ISAF troops involved in clearing the area of insurgents," a British Defense Ministry report said.
Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Gordon Messenger said the agricultural population in nearby Nad Ali town welcomed troops arriving in the area.
"The locals that the troops are encountering are talking about being oppressed both by the Taliban in that area and the narcotics community in that area for some time," Messenger said.
However, he said Taliban resistance has increased lately, slowing down the progress of ISAF troops.
"We did expect the enemy to up the level of resistance and that has happened. ISAF and Afghan forces are being directly targeted more now than they were before, but the enemy is still uncoordinated," he said.
The ministry said three British, 10 American and two Afghan soldiers have died in the campaign that began Feb. 13.
