Helmand: Taliban offensives enter eighth consecutive day, killing plenty of civilians

Kabul [Afghanistan] August 5 (ANI): The Taliban’s heavy offensives have entered its eighth consecutive day on Thursday in Afghanistan’s Helmand while so many civilians have also been killed in the provincial capital.

The clashes that begin over a week ago, between the Taliban and government forces in Afghanistan’s Lashkargah are still underway, Attaullah Afghan, head of the provincial council informed Tolo News.

The brawl is going on near the police Headquarter, governor’s office, prison, and other government buildings in PD1 of the city.

“Both the Afghan forces and the Taliban have suffered casualties while civilians many civilians have also been killed in the week-long fight but exact numbers are not available,” security sources informed.

As of August 3, over 75 Taliban terrorists, including three heads of their military commission, were killed in airstrikes and ground operations carried out by Afghan security forces in Helmand.

More than 40 civilians have also lost their lives while 100 reported injured due to the war-torn situation in Helmand.

Earlier, Afghanistan Defence Ministry also announced that the US has conducted an aerial strike on Helmand’s Lashkargah city killing at least 40 Taliban terrorists.

This comes in wake of the drawdown by foreign troops from the war-torn country. Heavy clashes are taking place between Afghanistan forces and the Taliban in several Afghan cities.

Over the last few weeks, the Taliban have captured several districts in Afghanistan including Takhar, the country’s northeastern province.

Nationwide, the Taliban controls 223 districts, with 116 contested and the government holding 68, according to the Long War Journal, whose calculations tally with CNN’s estimates. It says 17 of 34 provincial capitals are directly threatened by the Taliban. (ANI)