One U.S. Marine was killed in action and several others were injured or wounded in a major operation today in central Helmand Province, Afghanistan, a dispatch from U.S. Marines reports.

Marine Public Information officials in Afghanistan and Camp Lejeune said the name of the fallen Marine or the Marine's base station has not yet been released.

"That will be a Department of Defense release, then reference back to his home station for specifics," said Capt. Bill Pelletier, Marine Expeditionary Brigade public affairs officer.

Maj. Cliff W. Gilmore at Camp Lejeune said, "Our standard practice, in the interest of families, is to hold off on releasing names and any details of those killed in action until 24 hours after their loved ones have been notified."  

Forces from Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan's Task Force Leatherneck and Afghan national security forces moved into towns and villages along the Helmand River valley in an effort to secure the local population from the threat of Taliban and other insurgent intimidation and violence, the report advises.

  Almost 4,000 Marines and sailors from Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, along with more than 600 Afghan national security forces, are operating in the districts of Nawa and Garmsir in central Helmand province MEB forces are operating as far south as the vicinity of Khan Neshin, the capital of Rig district in the region of the Helmand River valley known as "The Fishhook."

The MEB has not received any confirmed reports of civilian casualties or damage to property. MEB-Afghanistan forces have not used artillery or other indirect fire weapons, and no bombs have been dropped from aircraft.

MEB-Afghanistan is a subordinate unit of NATO's International Security Assistance Force. The combined U.S. and Afghan mission is to provide security for population centers along the Helmand River valley. It also aims to connect local citizens with their legitimate government while establishing stable and secure conditions for national elections scheduled for August and provide enhanced security for the future.

"What makes Operation Khanjar different from those that have occurred before is the massive size of the force introduced, the speed at which it will insert and the fact that where we go we will stay, and where we stay, we will hold, build and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces," said Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, commanding general of MEB-Afghanistan.