The Long War Journal is pleased to announce that Bill Ardolino is currently embedded with the US Marines in Musa Qala in Helmand province, Afghanistan. An excellent observer and reporter, Bill has reported for us previously from Fallujah, Iraq, in 2006 and 2007; and from Baghdad in 2008.

In Helmand, Bill will be assessing the state of the Afghan Security Forces, gauging the execution of counterinsurgency operations by the USMC, and learning more about local sentiment. Musa Qala is one of the more oddly contested areas in Helmand. The British ceded the region to the Taliban in a peace deal in 2006 after weathering a siege in the District Center. In December 2007, a large Coalition and Afghan force retook the area and appointed a former Taliban leader to administer it.

After Musa Qala, Bill hopes to move to Sangin, also in Helmand. Sangin is one of the most dangerous areas in Afghanistan at the moment, as the Taliban are attempting to recoup losses there and are waging vicious attacks with IEDs and small arms fire.

Over the next month, Bill will be posting longer articles at The Long War Journal and quick observations here at Threat Matrix, so watch them.