Roundup: Afghan gov't sends reinforcement to besieged southern district

The Afghan government on Wednesday dismissed reports on the fall of Sangin district to Taliban militants as groundless, but admitted that clash has been continuing there.

"Except Bagran, no other district is under the control of the armed oppositions," Acting Defense Minister Mohammad Masoom Stanikzai said at a press conference here.

He made the remarks in the wake of media reports suggesting the fall of Sangin district in the southern province of Helmand.

Stanikzai also confirmed that foreign militants in the ranks of terrorist outfits of Lashkar-e-Tayeba, al-Qaida and the Islamic State or Daesh from Pakistan, Chechen and other parts of the world have been fighting alongside the Taliban in Helmand.

"Special Forces have arrived in Sangin district to reinforce the troops based there," the acting defense minister said.

Without commenting on the casualties of security forces, Stanikzai said "advancement and retreat is natural in war."

Sangin, which borders Pakistan, is important for the Taliban because its fall to the militants could enable them to threaten the provincial capital and cut the supply lines of troops to Washir to its west and other districts.

Meantime, the Taliban in an online statement appreciated the performances of its fighters in Helmand province, saying defeating security forces and overrunning districts in Helmand in winter gives the message of having a good spring.

Fighting in Helmand, according to local officials, has claimed hundreds of lives from both security personnel and civilians, while rendering thousands of families homeless over the past three months.

Helmand is important for both the government and the Taliban outfit. Political and military analysts say the fall of Helmand to the Taliban would enable the insurgent group to destabilize southern Kandahar province and western Farah province. Enditem