As Afghan assault looms, many civilians haven't fled

As U.S.-led coalition troops prepare for a long-awaited offensive against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan, few civilians have managed to escape the town at the center of the operation, raising the risk of civilian casualties that could undermine the Obama administration's military strategy for the country. The U.S.-led force said Tuesday that fewer than 200 families–around 1,200 people–had left the town of Marjah and the surrounding area, which have a population of about 80,000. "Commanders in the area are reporting no significant increase in persons moving out of Nad-e Ali district in the last month," the U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force said in a statement. "Despite reports of large numbers of civilians fleeing the area, the facts on the ground do not support these assertions."