US Marines and Afghan troops were making slow progress as they came under attack from snipers on the third day of a major offensive to seize the Taleban\u2019s stronghold in southern Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
Multiple firefights broke out in different areas in and around Marjah, the last militant stronghold in the country\u2019s most violent province, Helmand. The US troops leading Operation Moshtarak \u201d\u201d \u201cTogetherness\u201d\u009d \u201d\u201d advanced only 500 yards today. Marine units twice tried to capture the town\u2019s central bazaar, only to be pushed back.<\/p>\n
Coming under heavy fire and sniper attacks, and faced with booby-trapped buildings, the US Marines were forced to call in Harrier jets and attacks helicopters armed with Hellfire missiles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s still a good bit of the land to be cleared,\u201d\u009d said Captain Abraham Spice, a spokesman of the US Marines. \u201cWe\u2019re moving at a very deliberative pace….”<\/p>\n