U.S. troops in the remote Afghan province of Nuristan call it 'the dark side of the moon'.
It's a land as hostile as its natural scenery is breathtaking.
With little presence of foreign or Afghan troops, Nuristan's become a haven for Taliban and al Qaeda insurgents.
These U.S. soldiers are shelling what they believe are Taliban positions.
The troops of 1-12 infantry regiment are in the area to help loosen the insurgents' grip and train Afghan forces.
SOUNDBITE: MAJOR JARED BORDWELL, 1-12 INFANTRY REGIMENT, SAYING (English):
"We just want to continue that partnership and make sure that whatever they do, they're set up for success and it isn't a catastrophic failure."
Up to 2, 500 Taliban insurgents are believed to be in this area.
Afghan commanders say there are also about 300 foreign supporters, mainly from Pakistan or Chechnya.
The insurgents control almost all the districts.
Militia commander Mohammad Khan Baryaly says some villagers have fled their homes.
SOUNDBITE: MOHAMMAD KHAN BARYALY, MILITIA COMMANDER, SAYING (Pashto):
"They moved from here because of some pressure from the Taliban, because the village was surrounded by the Taliban. So they moved to save their lives. They had no support or food, nothing, but they moved to save their families."
U.S. air strikes add to the anti-insurgent onslaught.
It helps to show the Taliban they're not beyond reach.
But there are fears among Nuristan's local population about the future.
The question on their lips is what will happen when most foreign troops leave Afghanistan in two years' time.
Paul Chapman, Reuters
Comments