Stories

One by one, local Afghans turn in their votes during the elections in Marjah, Afghanistan, March 1, 2011. Elections are being held to elect District Community Representatives for the Marjah District. Regimental Combat Team 1 is deployed to Helmand Province while in support of the International Security Assistance Force. - One by one, local Afghans turn in their votes during the elections in Marjah, Afghanistan, March 1, 2011. Elections are being held to elect District Community Representatives for the Marjah District. Regimental Combat Team 1 is deployed to Helmand Province while in support of the International Security Assistance Force.

Representation takes root in Marjah, Afghanistan

A new voice has arisen from the tiny hamlets and bazaars along the Helmand River.Marjah residents selected the district’s first representative body at the District Center, March 1, during an election that was coordinated primarily by the provincial government.Now, they wait for their new District Community Council to bring further development to

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2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment leaves Northern Marjah a safer place

Nearly one year ago, Marjah was the scene of some of the deadliest fighting since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom. Now, after the persistence of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, the area is lauded as proof that counterinsurgency operations can work.Gen. James Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps, visited 2/9 in December and

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Cpl. Michael H. Whorton, an intelligence analyst, with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, smiles while eating his Thanksgiving Day dinner at Marine Corps Forward Operating Base Camp Hansen, Nov 25. Marine food specialists managed to prepare approximately 550 pounds of turkey, 400 pounds of ham, 330 pounds of steak and serve over 2000 slices of pie in 2/9’s area of operation. - Cpl. Michael H. Whorton, an intelligence analyst, with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, smiles while eating his Thanksgiving Day dinner at Marine Corps Forward Operating Base Camp Hansen, Nov 25. Marine food specialists managed to prepare approximately 550 pounds of turkey, 400 pounds of ham, 330 pounds of steak and serve over 2000 slices of pie in 2/9’s area of operation.

Thanksgiving chow means morale for Marjah Marines

With preparations beginning before sunrise, the battalion cooks launched into what may have been their highest profile assignment of the year. Their mission? Prepare a bountiful Thanksgiving feast for infantryman who will subside on little more than prepackaged rations and meals-ready-to-eat for most of a six-month deployment. Throughout the day,

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More than 100 village elders, and coalition forces representatives gathered at the District Center in Marjah, Nov. 24, to discuss important issues during a Regional Stability Shura. The District of Marjah is comprised of more than 30,000 families with a population of 200,000 people who hope for piece and stability. The group talked about the future of Marjah and what is being done to secure its development. - More than 100 village elders, and coalition forces representatives gathered at the District Center in Marjah, Nov. 24, to discuss important issues during a Regional Stability Shura. The District of Marjah is comprised of more than 30,000 families with a population of 200,000 people who hope for piece and stability. The group talked about the future of Marjah and what is being done to secure its development.

Regional Stability Shura shows promise for Marjah

More than 100 village elders gathered with coalition force representatives at the Marjah District Center, Nov. 24, for a regional stability shura.The shura, a meeting to discuss local problems and concerns, included officials from Regimental Combat Team 1 and Marjah’s local government.The discussion revolved around the security, governance,

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Local Afghans clap and cheer after listening to Al Haj Haji Merdel, an Islamic religious scholar and respected holy man, during shura at Marine Corps Forward Operating Base Camp Hansen, Marjah, Afghanistan, Nov. 13, denouncing the Taliban’s use of Jihad as a justification for years of war and fighting in Afghanistan. Helmand Province government officials, along with local holy men, said the Taliban was using Jihad as a false pretext to fight foreign nations in Afghanistan. - Local Afghans clap and cheer after listening to Al Haj Haji Merdel, an Islamic religious scholar and respected holy man, during shura at Marine Corps Forward Operating Base Camp Hansen, Marjah, Afghanistan, Nov. 13, denouncing the Taliban’s use of Jihad as a justification for years of war and fighting in Afghanistan. Helmand Province government officials, along with local holy men, said the Taliban was using Jihad as a false pretext to fight foreign nations in Afghanistan.

Helmand Province officials denounce Taliban’s use of jihad as means of fighting in Afghanistan

Helmand province government officials gathered with local elders during a shura at Marine Corps Forward Operating Base Camp Hanson, Nov. 13, to denounce the Taliban’s use of jihad as a justification for years of war and fighting in Afghanistan.For nearly three decades, Afghanistan has been at war, which has been fomented by Taliban propaganda

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Lt. Col. Mubark Sha, commanding officer for Afghanistan National Police in Marjah, addresses a crowd in front of Afghani Press during a security shura at a Marine Corps Base in Northern Marjah, Oct. 22. As part of the stabilization process in the region, key leaders of Helmand Province, joined by the Provincial Governor’s Security Advisor, Afghanistan National Director of Security, and the District Chief of Police traveled to Sistani to host several Shuras. - Lt. Col. Mubark Sha, commanding officer for Afghanistan National Police in Marjah, addresses a crowd in front of Afghani Press during a security shura at a Marine Corps Base in Northern Marjah, Oct. 22. As part of the stabilization process in the region, key leaders of Helmand Province, joined by the Provincial Governor’s Security Advisor, Afghanistan National Director of Security, and the District Chief of Police traveled to Sistani to host several Shuras.

Marjah leaders rally locals for peace as US Marines see signs of stability in the region

When 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment arrived in Marjah, parts of the region were unstable from months of fighting with Taliban forces. Many locals fled. Once 2/9 identified specific hot spots of enemy activity, they quickly increased security patrols, constructed numerous new patrol bases, and took the fight directly to the insurgents’ front

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Regimental Combat Team 7 concludes historic deployment in Helmand province

Last year, Now Zad was a ghost town. Helicopters and vehicle convoys purposely avoided the Taliban safe haven of Marjah. Nobody ventured as far south into Helmand province’s village of Safaar.That changed once Regimental Combat Team 7 arrived.After a full year of conducting counterinsurgency operations in support of the Afghan government and Afghan

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Marjah officials note progress, weakening insurgency in Marjah

As dawn approached, locals cleared the roads to the District Center, not because they were in any kind of danger, but to make way for the two leaders responsible for the reconstruction taking place here.Ghulam Jilani Popal, head of the Independent Directorate of Local Governance, and Muhammad Ghulab Mangal, the provincial governor, made their way

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Local government officials and many merchants from all over gather in Marjah for the re-opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the marketplace in Marjah, Afghanistan, Sept. 11. - Local government officials and many merchants from all over gather in Marjah for the re-opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the marketplace in Marjah, Afghanistan, Sept. 11.

Reopening of Marjah marketplace marks economic progress, social unity

The Marjah marketplace reopened in Marjah, Sept. 11, during a festival known as Mela, marking economic development and infrastructure growth for the people of Marjah that has not been in existence for more than five years. "The marketplace was integral part of society in the past," said Lt. Col. Kyle B. Ellison, commanding officer of 2nd Battalion,

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Sgt. Cody T. Romriell, a combat engineer with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, high-fives a local after helping him unclog a backed-up canal during the construction of Typhoon 3 in Marja, Afghanistan, Sep, 9. Marine engineers with 2/9 have been constructing new patrol bases in their area of operation in order to increase force protection. Typhoon 3 is one of the many being built. - Sgt. Cody T. Romriell, a combat engineer with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, high-fives a local after helping him unclog a backed-up canal during the construction of Typhoon 3 in Marja, Afghanistan, Sep, 9. Marine engineers with 2/9 have been constructing new patrol bases in their area of operation in order to increase force protection. Typhoon 3 is one of the many being built.

Marines expand patrolling capabilities in Marjah

Marines with Combat Engineer Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, began the final stages of a patrol base expansion project here, Sept. 10.The month-long expansion project is part of the battalion’s force protection campaign to better distribute the unit’s manpower and insert Marines into highly saturated enemy territory. The campaign allows them

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