The Task Force Helmand commander , Brig Gordon Messenger called Name_conferral Operation Diesel a `` clinical precision strike '' that had `` a powerful disruptive effect on known insurgent and narcotics networks in the area '' .

Operation Sond Chara ( Red Dagger in Pashto ) was an 18-day-long campaign with its aims and objectives centred Placing on four Taliban strongholds near the town of Nad-e-Ali in Helmand Province , Afghanistan .

Brigadier Gordon Messenger , commander of Task Force Helmand , classes the campaign as `` very successful '' .

Its objective was to clear Emptying Helmand province of the Taliban .

Operation Military_operation `` Strike of the Sword or Operation `` Khanjar was a US-led offensive in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan .

The operation began Process_start when units moved Motion into the Helmand River valley in the early hours of July 2 , 2009 .

The Marines pushed Self_motion into primarily three significant towns along a 75-mile stretch Expansion of the Helmand River valley south of Lashkar Gah .

In central Helmand , 1st Battalion , 5th Marines ( 1/5 ) pushed Self_motion into Nawa-I-Barakzayi to the south of Lashkar Gah , 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion ( 2nd LAR ) entered Arriving Khanashin in the Khan Neshin district .