MARJAH, Afghanistan — The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan crisscrossed the country on Saturday, making a Christmas visit to coalition troops at some of the main battle fronts in a show of appreciation and support in the tenth year of the war against the Taliban.
Gen. David Petraeus started his visit by traveling in a cargo plane from Kabul to the northern province of Kunduz, telling troops with the U.S. Army’s 1-87, 10th Mountain Division that on this day, there was “no place that (he) would rather be than here” where the “focus of our effort” was.
The northern part of the country has seen increased fighting, with the Taliban stepping up their attacks as NATO focuses its sights on the militant movement’s southern strongholds. Petraeus was briefed on the situation in the region by German Maj. Gen. Hans-Werner Fritz, the commander of NATO’s northern regional command.
In eastern Afghanistan, where NATO forces are trying to prevent insurgents from slipping in from neighboring Pakistan, members of one U.S. platoon spent Christmas as they do almost every other day — in a firefight with insurgents. Taliban on nearby hills opened fire twice during the day on their Combat Outpost Badel, sparking gunbattles as the U.S. soldiers returned fire.
Petraeus’ visits Saturday also took him to the region of one of the main NATO offensives in the south this year — the Taliban stronghold of Marjah in Helmand province.
He spoke to the Marines on the base, praising them for the improvements in the area, which still sees Taliban attacks.
“You are part of America’s new greatest generation. It is not just the courage that you have shown, it is not just the skills that you have shown . . .,” he told the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Unit. “It is the versatility that you demonstrate going outside the wire every day, being ready for a hand grenade or a handshake and knowing what to do if either of those comes your way.”
