In addition, both regions reside within the Ring of Fire, which is a zone surrounding the Pacific Ocean where the Pacific tectonic plate and other plates dive beneath other slabs of Earth.

The idea behind Operation Panther’s Claw is to extend control of the populous, irrigated “green zone” by linking up the capital of Helmand, Lashkar Gah, with Gereshk, on the main ring road.

It's part of the very active "Ring of Fire," a zone of major crustal plate clashes that surround the Pacific Ocean.