British troops from the Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) patrol a Taliban-held area of Afghanistan's Helmand province during operation Panther's Claw July 11, 2009. British troops have faced heavy fighting during the operation, a bid to clear out Taliban-held areas north of the provincial capital Lashkar Gah, while U.S. Marines stage a massive operation of their own further south. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood (AFGHANISTAN MILITARY CONFLICT)
REUTERS/AHMAD MASOOD