It was 2 a.m., dark and freezing cold when the first wave of Marines dropped from the sky on Feb. 13 to begin the largest Afghan offensive since the start of the war. It was the US-led invasion of the Taliban stronghold of Marjah, in the mountainous Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.

U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Chris Sanderson, 24, from Flemington, New Jersey shouts as he tries to protect an Afghan man and his child after Taliban fighters opened fire in the town of Marjah, in Nad Ali district, Helmand province, February 13, 2010. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Serbian-born Reuters photographer Goran Tomasevic, 40, spent 10 days embedded with the First Battalion’s Bravo Company as it slowly advanced into Marjah, a smattering of small homes clustered together in groups — known as compounds — and local markets spread out across the desolate region. His photos capture the Marines, accompanied by a squad of Afghan soldiers, doing the grueling work of searching every house and rooting out Taliban snipers. The unit frequently encountered heavy enemy fire — one of Bravo Company’s soldiers was killed by a sniper on the operation’s first day.

U.S. Marines from Bravo Company of the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines climb a wall during an operation in the town of Marjah, in Nad Ali district of Helmand province February 16, 2010. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

“The Marines are at a real disadvantage because they are extremely careful about civilian casualties,” Tomasevic said. “The Taliban fire all the time, but the Marines won’t shoot if they suspect there are villagers around. They are very restrained.”

Tomasevic, who’s been in Afghanistan 10 times covering the war, said the latest push showed signs of progress.

“The Marines have the hardest job; they have to go in first and clear everything out. The Bravo Company covered a lot of ground, and physically it was very hard work. I must say that I congratulate them,” Tomasevic said.

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