Eighteen Afghans, including 11 policemen, were killed in a suicide attack at a meeting on poppy eradication in the Khogyani district of Nangarhar province. The Taliban said this was the start of its new offensive. US Marines began an operation in the Garmsir district in Hamand province; several Taliban fighters were killed and a command center was destroyed. Coalition forces killed “several” Taliban fighters and captured 14 during a clash in Nimroz province.
