ized ▁off ensive ▁in ▁Mar ja , ▁Hel m and ▁Province , ▁with ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁se ize ▁territ ories ▁in ▁adjacent ▁K and ah ar ▁Province . ▁American ▁forces ▁dub bed ▁their ▁off ensive ▁" Operation ▁Dragon ▁St rike ," ▁and ▁referred ▁to ▁K and ah ar ▁as ▁" The ▁Heart ▁of ▁Dark ness " ▁because ▁of ▁resistance ▁to ▁American ▁and ▁NAT O ▁presence ▁there . ▁ ▁Following ▁substantial ▁military ▁engag ements ▁between ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁and ▁Afghan ▁Tal ib an ▁forces ▁outside ▁Kh os row ▁Sof la ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁and ▁fall ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁vill agers ▁were ▁ordered ▁by ▁American ▁military ▁officials ▁to ▁def use ▁I ED s ▁in ▁the ▁village ▁before ▁ 2 8 ▁October , ▁or ▁have ▁the ▁village ▁destroyed . ▁American ▁military ▁command ers ▁maintained ▁that ▁vill agers ▁in ▁Kh os row ▁Sof la ▁knew ▁the ▁locations ▁of ▁I ED s . ▁ ▁During ▁inter views ▁after ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁the ▁Kh os row ▁Sof la ▁and ▁other ▁villages , ▁vill agers ▁stated ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁agreed ▁with ▁local ▁Tal ib an ▁upon ▁what ▁paths ▁and ▁hours ▁of ▁the ▁day ▁would ▁be ▁safe ▁for ▁travel . ▁ ▁Dest ruction ▁ ▁In ▁mid - Nov ember ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Arg hand ab ▁District ▁governor ▁Shah ▁Muham med ▁A hm adi ▁reported ▁that ▁every ▁one ▁of ▁Kh os row ▁Sof la ' s ▁ 4 0 ▁homes ▁had ▁been ▁destroyed ▁by ▁ 2 5 ▁miss iles .< ref ▁name ="