US describes Marja offensive as a success

Kandahar, May 7 (ANI): While terming their offensive on the Taliban stronghold of Marja as successful, American officials maintain that steep challenges remain insofar as improving local government functions throughout Afghanistan is concerned.

As Afghan President Hamid Karzai prepares to travel to Washington next week, Pentagon officials hope the upcoming visit will lead to an improvement in ties between the two countries.

According to the Los Angeles Times, lawmakers, military officers and other officials are looking closely at the Marja campaign and its aftermath for lessons that can be applied to the upcoming offensive in Kandahar.

American officials have said that they will try to build up and improve local government in Kandahar concurrently with military operations in the city.

Brigadier General. John W. Nicholson Jr., who directs the Pentagon's Pakistan-Afghanistan Coordination Cell, called Marja a "work in progress, but trending in the right direction." (ANI)