Kabul, Aug 12 (DPA) Hundreds of Afghan and US forces launched an operation in a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan Wednesday to flush out militants before next week's presidential election.

About 100 Afghan soldiers and 400 US marines began the offensive, dubbed Operation Eastern Resolve II, in the Naw Zad district of Helmand province ahead of the Aug 20 vote, the US military said in a statement.

The operation aimed 'to disrupt insurgent violence and intimidation campaigns and provide freedom of movement for Afghan citizens to have the opportunity to vote in upcoming provincial and national elections', it said.

About 4,000 US marines were deployed in Helmand province in June, joining 8,000 British troops stationed there. The US marines were part of the more than 20,000 additional US troops deployed in the country this year as part of US President Barack Obama's troop surge.

The combined US and British forces along with Afghan troops began assaults July 2 against the Taliban in Helmand, recapturing a district, but then the operation was hampered by heavy casualties.