Cmdr: Marines to stay in Marjah for now

WASHINGTON (AP) - A U.S. Marine commander says there are no immediate plans to pull back the 4,000 Marines and Afghan troops in the Afghan town of Marjah until the local government has a chance to get up and running.

Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, the Marine commander in Helmand province, told reporters at the Pentagon on Thursday that a decision could be made in the summer on whether to keep all 2,500 Marines and 1,500 Afghan troops in the area. They waged a major offensive to oust Taliban forces.

Nicholson said they haven't engaged in enemy fire for eight days but that officials are "very conscious of the fact that this is a very fragile area."