KABUL, March 6 (Reuters) - Foreign and Afghan forces have launched their biggest major operation against the Taliban and drug lords in the country's south, where guerrillas overran a key town a month ago, NATO said on Tuesday.

Operation Achilles will eventually involve more than 4,500 NATO troops and close to 1,000 Afghan personnel, the head of the alliance's southern command, Dutch Major-General Ton van Loon said in a statement.

"It signifies the beginning of a planned offensive to bring security to northern Helmand (province) and set the conditions for meaningful development that will fundamentally improve the quality of life for Afghans in the area," he said.

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