Taliban Militants are reported to have been on the threshold of controlling a very strategic town of Sangin in the southern Afghanistan province of Helmand.
Mirza Khan Rahimi, governor of Helmand, asserted that the authorities are in in charge of the said town of Sangin.
However, on Monday, statements from his own deputy, Mohammad Jan Rasulyar, revealed that the town had been captured by the militants. “The Sangin district had been overrun”, Rasulyar said. The only facilities that were not procured by the Islamist group were the Afghan Army facilities.
The Talibans had also released their statements that they are completely taken most of the town, including the main administrative building. Authorities have fled, leaving the administrative building into the hands of the Taliban militants.
During the attack of the Taliban militants near Bagram, six US soldiers were killed. BBC reports that attack of the Talibans in Helmand province is one of the deadliest attacks this year.
Not only did the US suffer from losses, but also the British military who was one to suffer its greatest losses in Sangin.
According to Sediq Sediqqi, Spokesperson for the Afghan security forces, military forces have been deployed to increase security in Sangin, and ongoing troops are now securing the area. He further stated that security forces have done their job to keep the militants from taking over Sangin.
The Taliban militants have seen the importance of Sangin’s location in gaining access to the northern part of Helmand.
According to the report of Inayatulhaq Yasini of BBC Afghan Service, Sangin’s strategic location, was once the centre of operations for international forces in Afghanistan. Sangin is a key district that would link the capital of Helmand province, Lashkar Gah to other districts in the Northern Province.
Taking full control of Sangin would permit the Taliban militants to increase their domain. In addition, the militants would then, be able to obstruct any supply chain linking the Afghan forces with Lashkar Gah.
If the Taliban militants can maintain their control in the area, Sangin will be able to provide the militants with enough funding because the area is known to be the center of opium production. Drug trades is an important fund resource for the militants.
Mohammad Dawood, district police officer, appealed to BBC for assistance in helping defeat the Islamist group. The militants have completely surrounded their facility, cutting the supplies of food and weapons.
“The bazaar is closed. We have been surrounded for the past two days,” Dawood informed BBC. He added, I have casualties lying around me. We haven’t eaten for the past two days. If we don’t get support in the next hour or so, our fighters will be captured alive.”
There were reports that at the time the Taliban militants had taken control of Sangin, government forces had no choice but to pull back, as they were already overpowered by the militant group.
The militants have also taken control of the checkpoints along the road, making it easy for them to close the roads, including the roads between the district and Lashkar Gah and other districts.
