Dutch and Afghan troops and a US reserve unit have launched a major offensive against the Taliban in the southern province of Uruzgan, the Dutch defence ministry said on Monday.

The aim of the Patan Ghar operation is to improve security around the town of Deh Rawod, the ministry said in a statement. ‘This is essential for further stability and reconstruction of the province,’ it added.
The ministry says enemy troops have strengthened their hold around the region in the past few months.
The new offensive could take several months and includes the construction of permanent Afghan police and military checkpoints to ensure that the Taliban cannot return, reports ANP news service.
On Monday the BBC reported that the death toll from the suicide bombing in the Afghan city of Kandahar at the weekend has risen to over 100 and is ‘believed to be the bloodiest since 2001’.