Fighting Continues in Key Areas of Lashkargah for 2nd Day

Clashes continued in key parts of Lashkargah city in District 1 near the police headquarters and the provincial governor’s office on Sunday, causing concerns to ratchet up over the situation in the province.

Security sources said many parts of the city have fallen to the Taliban in recent weeks.

Helmand MPs said that the city will be out of the government’s control if it does not receive support.

“The fighting has reached District 1 and is 100 meters or 200 meters away from the provincial governor’s compound. Fighting is underway to capture the base in the province and the people are concerned,” said Ghulam Wali Afghan, an MP from Helmand.

“Clashes are underway near the Helmand governor’s compound, the police headquarters and the NDS office. They will fall if attention is not paid to them,” said Karim Atal, an MP from Helmand.

But ANDSF spokesman Gen. Omar Shinwari said strong defensive lines have been established in Helmand, Herat and Kandahar and that there are no serious problems in the cities of these provinces.

TOLOnews findings show that 70 districts, as well as the Spin Boldak border town, fell to the Taliban in July. The government said that 11 districts had been retaken from the Taliban in July, but five of them–Yaftal in Badakhshan, Chakhansur in Nimroz, Malistan in Ghazni, Garmsir in Helmand and Guzara in Herat–have once again fallen to the Taliban.

“We will witness a worse situation if reforms are not brought to the leadership of military units,” said Mehrabuddin Safi, a military affairs analyst.

Insecurity has also affected Kabul. In a recent incident, unknown gunmen attacked a police vehicle in the Company area west of Kabul, killing a police officer and two civilians and wounding three more.

“No one pays attention to security. We demand safety,” said Sayed Faqir, an eyewitness of the incident.

“What is the sin of the ordinary people?” said Rafi, an eyewitness.

TOLOnews findings show that for just the month of July, 313 civilians and 239 security force members were wounded in security incidents and Taliban attacks. The figures show that 700 civilians and 216 security force members were wounded during this period.

The government said that the Taliban has sustained heavy casualties during this time.