Afghanistan War News Updates -- March 26, 2011

A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier guides other soldiers assigned to Special Operations Task Force South and Afghan commandos down a roadway in the Zharay district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, March 6, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Daniel P. Shook

Marines From Camp Pendleton Relinquish Command Of Key Afghan Territory -- L.A. Times

Amid praise for a job well done, the Marines from Camp Pendleton on Saturday formally relinquished responsibility for leading the fight against the Taliban in the insurgency's longtime stronghold of Helmand province, Afghanistan.

“In February 2010, the Taliban flag flew high here in Helmand,” said Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, commander of the international joint force. “Today, this land belongs to the people of Helmand.”

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More News On Afghanistan

FACTBOX-Security developments in Afghanistan, March 26 -- Alertnet
ISAF Joint Command evening operational update -- Dvids
ISAF service member dies in insurgent attack in Afghanistan -- Jerusalem Post
Forces Kill Insurgents, Detain Taliban Leader -- U.S. Department of Defense
Afghan civilians killed in airstrike: NATO -- Yahoo News/AFP
NATO airstrike kills civilians in Afghanistan -- Yahoo News/AP
Afghanistan: Nato air strike kills civilians in Helmand -- BBC
Afghan civilians killed in NATO airstrike -- UPI
IED blast kills 2 civilians in Afghanistan' Zabul province -- People's Daily
22 Taliban militants surrender in northern Afghan province -- People's Daily

U.S. promises better teamwork on Afghan drug raids -- Reuters
Russia, U.S. ready to further Afghan drug fight -- Voice of Russia
Central Asian drug trafficking at $20 billion yearly - Russia's anti-drug watchdog -- RIA Novosti

Poetry as a Weapon of War in Afghanistan -- PBS Newshour
Report: Time for a 'Diplomatic Surge' in Afghanistan -- PBS Newshour
ISAF Rethinks Afghan Districts -- David Axe, The Diplomat
Afghanistan Report’s Call for International Negotiator Unrealistic -- Heritage Foundation
US Failure In Afghanistan: Possible Way Out – OpEd -- Masood-Ur-Rehman Khattak, Eurasia Review
Barbour: “We Need to Step Back in Afghanistan” -- Wall Street Journal
Afghan atrocities and jihadist victories -- James S. Robbins, Washington Times