MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th August, 2021) The Afghan military has initiated a massive offensive operation in Lashkargah, the capital of the southern province of Helmand, against the Taliban militants (a terrorist group, banned in Russia), Defense Ministry spokesperson Fawad Aman said on Thursday.
"Clearing and offensive operations have started in Lashkargah city, the capital of Helmand province last night. Terrorists have no way to flee from Lashkargah, they will be killed," the spokesperson said in a message posted on Twitter.
On Wednesday, he noted that the operation in the city is being carried out "slowly and accurately", as the Taliban use residential buildings as shelters and "civilians as a shield."
The fighting in Lashkargah reportedly picked up on Sunday. Several tv and radio stations in the province were shut down. On Tuesday, the Afghan national army called on residents to leave Lashkargah so that an operation can be carried out to clear the city of Taliban militants.
Afghanistan has witnessed a rise in violence in recent weeks as the Taliban stepped up its offensive after international troops began withdrawing from the country in May. The troop pullout was one of the points of an agreement - the� the first in 18 years - that the radical group and the United States reached in Doha in February 2020.
