The skill displayed by Taleban insurgents showed high levels of tactical awareness and training — including “walking” mortar fire on to the Marines and persistent and accurate sniper fire.

The unit has lost one Marine and five have been injured. Many others have had near misses, including one soldier who was hit yesterday by a Taleban bullet between the eyes, but an inch above the rim of his helmet.

The offensive in Marjah involves 15,000 US, British and Afghan troops. It is the biggest joint operation since the 2001 invasion that ousted the Taleban. The troops are fighting over an area of less than 100 square miles, with a population of 80,000.

US Marines said they are constrained by strict new rules of engagement that make their task more dangerous. Under the rules, troops cannot fire at people unless they commit a hostile act or show intent.

Corporal Travis Anderson, 20, from Iowa, said his platoon had repeatedly seen Afghan fighters dropping their guns into ditches before melting away into the civilian population.

“It’s hard to fight a war like this,” he said. “They’re using our rules of engagement against us.”

[link to www.timesonline.co.uk]