Helmand, Kandahar and Herat have been hit hard these past few days by intense battles between the Afghan security forces and the Taliban, officials confirmed.

One of the hardest hit has been Herat, which has witnessed two days of solid fighting around the city itself, while heavy attacks have been launched on villages to the west of the city.

As fighting continued to rage Sunday night, officials said clashes were ongoing but had intensified in the west of the city.

Officials said in the past 24 hours, at least 30 people were wounded in the battles. This included soldiers and civilians.

Doctors at the Herat Hospital said the bodies of five people had been brought into the facility.

Provincial officials said more than a dozen Taliban fighters had been killed in clashes during the course of Sunday, including a prominent commander named Sadam.

According to the officials, the Taliban launched the attacks on the city from the western districts of Herat, mostly from Ghoryan and Zinda Jan districts.

Kandahar meanwhile also witnessed heavy fighting but security officials said Taliban attacks in Takhta Pul district were repulsed by security forces and air support.

Officials said the Taliban attacked at around 2 am Monday in the Mel area between Takhta Pul and Spin Boldak districts.

Hashem Regwal, district police chief, said 37 Taliban had been killed and three Humvee tanks had been seized from the Taliban.

The Taliban have not yet commented.

Sources meanwhile said US warplanes were used to push back the Taliban and targeted and destroyed a Taliban artillery facility in the center of Panjwai district.

US forces have not yet commented.

In Helmand, sources said that the provincial governor’s office, police headquarters, NDS office, and PD1 police station in the city are under siege by the Taliban.

Mohammad Jami, a Helmand civil activist, stated: “situation is very critical in Helmand, Taliban have attacked the Police Command, Governor’s office, NDS office, and Helmand prison.”

Meanwhile, the 215th Maiwand Military Corps said a Taliban offensive on Lashkargah prison was repulsed.

The corps said a group of at least 40 Taliban launched an offensive on the city’s prison on Sunday night but that the group was taken down by security forces.

According to the corps, 38 Taliban were killed in the clash and two others were wounded.

The Ministry of Defense also said the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), with the support of the air force, targeted the Taliban on Sunday night in a joint operation in Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand province.

At least 36 Taliban were killed and 19 others were wounded in this operation, the MoD said.

The ministry said that three vehicles, one of which contained three million Pakistani rupees, were destroyed in the airstrike.

The Taliban have confirmed the clashes in Lashkargah, but said their fighters are advancing.