Afghans, NATO launch offensive in southern Taliban heartland

Afghan and NATO forces are attacking Taliban strongholds around the key southern city of Kandahar, in a new bid to bolster control of the area, but without the scale or fanfare of a similar bid earlier this year.

Operation "Dragon Strike" began on Saturday with air strikes and ground operations in the Taliban heartland around Kandahar, the Afghan Defense Ministry and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said. (Reuters)