NEWSUK marine killed in Afghanistan
LONDON, Mar. 6 (Xinhua) -- British Defense Department spokesman said on Tuesday that a British Royal Marine was killed in southern Afghanistan.
The death came as his unit were taking part in a planned security operation in the Kajaki area of Helmand Province, the spokesman said.
A major new NATO assault against Taliban militants and drug traffickers was launched in the northern part of the province, involving around 4,500 NATO and 1,000 Afghan troops.
There is no scheduled end date for the operation, the spokesman said.
The Afghan government has little control over many parts of Helmand Province, the world's biggest producer of opium, and the British troops stationed there fight almost daily battles with militants.