Afghan forces launch major operation in Lashkargah

KABUL (Tolo News): Hibatullah Alizai, the commander of the Special Operations Corps, said that a clearance operation in Lashkargah city, the capital of Helmand province, began.
The operation was launched about 10:00 pm local time in PD1 of Lashkargah, Alizai said, and he urged residents to evacuate areas under Taliban control as the airstrikes and ground operations move forward, warning that the Taliban are “using civilian homes” as fighting positions. The operation began after hundreds of Afghan commandos and special forces were deployed to Helmand, according to officials.
Alizai said the Taliban’s designated governor for Helmand was killed in the fight with security forces, but the Taliban denied this claim. “The Taliban has suffered heavy casualties in the Helmand clashes,” he said. Thursday marks the ninth day of fighting in Lashkargah.
Airstrikes in several parts of Lashkargah were carried out, according to security forces. There have been no numbers available of casualties sustained by government forces or of civilians. Out of 10 districts in Lashkargah, nine have been captured by the Taliban in the recent fighting.
12 of the 13 districts in Helmand are controlled by the Taliban. Only Kajaki district remains under government control. Fighting continued near the police HQ, governor’s office, the prison, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) and other government buildings in PD1 of the city, according to the local officials. All key government offices are in PD1.
Previously, the residents of Helmand said that houses, shops, and markets have sustained heavy damage during the ongoing clashes. Thousands of families have been displaced. The commander of the Army’s 215 Maiwand Corps, Gen. Sami Sadat, urged Lashkargah residents to evacuate their houses as the ANDSF is planning large-scale operations to clear the city of Taliban. Gen. Sadat said he made the announcement because the safety of residents is the priority of the ANDSF.
Meanwhile, at least seven attacks by Taliban on the city of Herat were pushed back by the security forces, the provincial governor Abdul Saboor Qani said. Taliban launched attacks on districts 2, 3, 10 and 11 of Herat city, Qani said, adding that “Wahid Ahmad Kohistani, police chief for Herat’s District 10 and two security force members were killed in last night’s clashes.”
There are no reports on civilians’ casualties so far. Qani said that the Air Force also conducted airstrikes in the city on in which “more than 100 Taliban were killed and dozens of others were wounded.” “These Taliban members were killed when they wanted to enter the city,” he said. Taliban has not commented on their casualties. On Thursday, Herat clashes entered 9th day.
Mohammad Ismail Khan, former mujahedeen leader who is now leading the fight against the Taliban in Herat along with scores of public resistance forces, said that “the war in Herat city is being led by Pakistan.” He urged the residents of Herat city to rise up against the “clear aggression” of Pakistan, saying: “I want to make it clear that the war in Herat is a war between Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
“This is not the Taliban’s war and the Taliban is a tool. Just as the Afghan people did not accept the dominance of the United States, Russia and other superpowers, they should not accept Pakistani dominance either.” A number of security force members who are battling the Taliban on the frontlines pledged to not allow the Taliban to enter the city.
Heavy clashes that began in Herat city eight days ago are still ongoing in the southern parts of the city, local officials said. Afghan security forces operations are occurring in the villages in the southern parts of the city, the security officials said, adding that the “Taliban has been pushed back from the city.”
“The operations are ongoing but slowly, as the Taliban are hidden in residential areas,” according to the officials. Two public resistance force members were killed and 15 others–including three civilians–were wounded in the past 24 hours, according to officials at Herat hospital. A commander of the 207 Zafar Military Corps named Gulzar said: “There has been fighting in Ghaibatan and Hawad villages over the past three days. Ten Taliban fighters were killed yesterday, and their bodies have been moved by the people.”
Mohammad Ismail Khan, former mujahedeen leader who is now leading the fight against the Taliban in Herat along with scores of public resistance forces, said that “the war in Herat city is being led by Pakistan.” He urged the residents of Herat city to rise up against the “clear aggression” of Pakistan, saying: “I want to make it clear that the war in Herat is a war between Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
“This is not the Taliban’s war and the Taliban is a tool. Just as the Afghan people did not accept the dominance of the United States, Russia and other superpowers, they should not accept Pakistani dominance either.” A number of security force members who are battling the Taliban on the frontlines pledged to not allow the Taliban to enter the city.
“The enemy tried hard to enter the city of Herat these days, but we will not allow them to enter the city as long as we still have a drop of blood,” said Mohamamd Nasir, a police officer. A soldier in the Afghan Army Balal Ahmad said: “The Taliban had advanced but we pushed them back and they will never take the city of Herat.”
Hundreds of families have been displaced during the fighting over the past eight days. “The Taliban come to our area but when the security forces come, they run away. People are in a lot of trouble because of the war,” said Abdul Qayoum, a resident of Herat. Officials claimed that 30 Taliban were killed in the past 24 hours of fighting, however, the Taliban has not yet commented on their casualties in the clashes.