Afghan "spring offensive" a myth - U.S. commander

By Luke Baker

KHOST, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The commander of U.S. forces in southeast Afghanistan on Friday dismissed suggestions of any renewed Taliban offensive, saying fighting might pick up in some areas but a full-on offensive was a myth.

"There is no such thing as a spring offensive," Colonel Pete Johnson, the commander of a taskforce from the 101st Airborne Division that is responsible for security in six Afghan provinces along the border with Pakistan, told Reuters.

"I think this year this myth is finally going to be debunked. Last year was the same thing -- it never materialised. This year it has not materialised and it won't materialise."

"Will there be increases in fighting and insurgent activity. Absolutely. But it's a weather-based construct, a seasonal construct, not a deliberate execution of an offensive. Increased activity is not a coordinated offensive."

The Taliban and militants allied to the group have traditionally increased attacks in past springs, when high mountain terrain becomes more passable and routes over the frontier between Pakistan and Afghanistan are more accessible.

The change in weather also tends to make it easier for militants to plant bombs under or alongside roads since the ground is softer and melted winter ice leaves potholes that are natural places to conceal mines or explosives.

In recent days there has been a small but measurable increase in such attacks. Two U.S. soldiers and a U.S. civilian were killed in a roadside bomb blast outside Khost on Wednesday, and an Afghan police chief and his bodyguard were killed in a separate IED (improvised explosive device) attack the same day.

Johnson said such up-ticks were to be expected but didn't change the overall security picture in his area.