"The morale of the Taleban is high... We will fight until the death," Taleban commander Mullah Ahmadullah told the Associated Press news agency.NATO's response to that position was apparently "We're good with that", as British troops "kicked in the door" on Friday.
Predictably, the Taliban have organised their media strategy for maximum effect.
Taleban fighters have been given orders to carry out attacks far more widely than Musa Qala to try to deflect attention, but Nato sources say they have contingency plans to deal with that, our correspondent reports.**********
The rebels would not comment on a report by the chief of Helmand police that they had hanged a 12-year-old boy accused of spying for the British.
UPDATE: One NATO soldier reported killed
-- KABUL -- A NATO soldier, two children and 12 ‘terrorists’ have been killed in the first day of an operation to retake the southern Afghan town of Musa Qala, the Afghan defence ministry said Saturday.**********
Two children in a vehicle in front of a Taleban patrol were also killed in a firefight, ministry spokesman General Mohammad Zahir Azimi told reporters.
Five other civilians in the car were wounded, he said, accusing the rebels of using the vehicle as a shield.
RELATED: Aussies re-up troop committment
Australian troops will remain in Afghanistan until at least 2010 - doubling the original two-year commitment - in a decision that has not been formally announced or debated.
This was revealed by the Dutch Government, which is extending its Afghan deployment until August 2010, in part because it says the Australians will also extend their stay.