Sniper attacks hindering Afghan offensive

Sniper teams attacked US Marines and Afghan troops across the Taliban haven of Marjah in Afghanistan as several gun battles erupted on the third day of a major offensive to seize the extremists’ southern heartland.

Multiple firefights in different locations taxed the ability of coalition forces to provide enough air support as Nato forces forged deeper into the town as part of Operation Moshtarak, moving through suspected insurgent neighbourhoods, the US Marines said.