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Roundup: Fighting continues in Afghanistan's Helmand as 32 more Talibans killed

Xinhua, August 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

Fierce fighting has been continuing in parts of the restive Helmand province as 32 more Taliban fighters have been killed in the beleaguered province over the past 24 hours, spokesman for provincial government Omar Zawak said Monday.

"A total of 32 Taliban rebels including three commanders have been killed in Nawa, Garmsir and Nad Ali districts of Helmand province over the past 24 hours," Zawak told reporters here.

According to the official, fighting has been continuing in parts of the restive province to eliminate Taliban militants and ensure lasting peace there.

The official, however, avoided commenting on the possible casualties of security forces over the period.

Up to 25 militants had been killed in air strikes on Saturday night.

Helmand with Lashkar Gah as its capital 555 km south of national capital Kabul city has been regarded as Taliban hotbed in the conflict-hit Afghanistan.

Meantime, a press release of 205 Miwand Corps stationed in southern region released here Monday said that six Taliban militants had been killed in their bomb blast.

According to the press release, six militants were planting mine on road in Chah-e-Anjir district on Sunday night to target security forces convoy but the device exploded accidentally killing all the six on the spot.

The volatile Helmand province has been the scene of Taliban-led increasing militancy over the past few years. Fighting in the restive province has heightened over the past couple of months after Taliban insurgents intensified operations to overrun provincial capital Lashkar Gah, a key city in southern region.

To consolidate their positions, Taliban militants blocked the road linking Lashkar Gah to the neighboring Kandahar province.

However, Kandahar police chief General Abdul Razeq has said that the road linking Kandahar to Lashkar Gah was reopened over weekend and reinforcement can reach Helmand.

Meantime, a security official in Helmand on the condition of anonymity told Xinhua on Monday that Taliban has mined the road linking Kandahar to Helmand provincial capital Lashkar Gah and it is risky to drive on the battered road.

An Afghan soldier serving in Lashkar Gah, on the condition of anonymity told Xinhua on Monday that air strikes conducted by the U.S.-led coalition forces has stopped Taliban advances in Nad Ali, Nawa and Garmsir districts over the past one week, otherwise the militants might have tightened their grip.

According to the soldier, the government suffered casualties in Garmsir district on Sunday. Meantime, provincial government spokesman Omar Zawak spurned the report, saying situation is under control in Garmsir and other parts of the volatile province. Endit