LASHKARGAH (SW): Southern Helmand’s Sangin district remains under the Taliban control as the militants have reportedly inflicted heavy losses on the government forces in this part of the country overnight.
Ghulam Jan Aka, a member of the district council told Salam Watandar that the dead bodies and wounded men of the government forces too remain under the Taliban control. He added that the militants have taken into custody all the resources belonging to the government forces. The district administration office, police headquarters, municipality office and main market have all fallen to the rebels.
The Wolesi Jirga on Monday also expressed concerns over emerging situation in Helmand. Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, the speaker urged the government to take immediate measures in countering the surging militancy there.
Naseema Niazi, a member of the WJ from Helmand said on the occasion that local security officials in Helmand are busy in narcotics trade and hardly care about the state of security affairs in the province. She feared that if the militants managed to overrun Greshak district, it would pave way for them to pose serious threats to Herat, Farah and Kandahar provinces.
Meanwhile, Spokesman for the 215-Maiwand Corps Mohammad Rasul told Salam Watandar that the security forces are engaged in clean-up operation and would swiftly reclaim the district from the rebels.
Sources told Salam Watandar that 28 Afghan National Police (ANP) men lost lives while 13 more got wounded while bravely defending the district.
A day earlier, Bashir Ahmad Shaker, head of provincial council’s committee on security expressed fears that the worsening state of security affairs might well cause Kunduz like situation in this part of the country as well. In his views, only four districts were under the government control while the rests remain under the influence of the militants. He added that 70 percent of Helmand was practically under the militants’ influence.
Helmand deputy governor Muhammad Jan Rasulyar also expressed similar views in a message on social media when he said that 90 soldiers had been killed in the past two days in Helmand. "Be quick and act on this! Protect Helmand from this life and death situation and distance yourself from the circle of those lawyers who tell you everything is OK and the situation is normal.", he said while addressing President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.
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