Afghanistan key areas still face terrorism threats: White House

The White House and US department of defense say that some parts of Afghanistan still face terrorism threats and the current situation in Afghanistan is challenging.

US senior officials in Pentagon and White House noted that they have informed President Barak Obama about the situation of Afghanistan.

Concerns rise with the killing of one U.S. service member in hours-long fighting Tuesday in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan, where Taliban insurgents have made recent inroads.

The White House says that the recent incidents in Afghanistan indicates that this country is still a dangerous place.

“This is an ongoing situation, there is still a fight going on in the immediate surroundings,” Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said.

“There are dangerous parts of Afghanistan where the fight is still under way, and Helmand province is one of those places,” Cook said.

“This is an ongoing fight, and I think the events of the last few hours highlight that.”

In the meantime, officials in Afghanistan ministries of interior and defense rejected US soldiers surrounded in Helmand.

“It is true that a US soldier killed but they are not in war to be at siege,” said Sidiq Sidiqi, spokesman of interior ministry.

“The situation of Helmand province becomes better and Afghan forces have enough ammunition to control the province,” Muhammad Rad Manish, spokesman of defense ministry said.

The United States and NATO pulled all combat forces from Helmand in the spring of 2014, and combat operations by the coalition throughout Afghanistan were scheduled to end by Dec. 31 that year. American forces in Afghanistan were to remain in a training and advising role, for the most part.

In 2015 the Taliban intensified its efforts to seize control of Helmand, long the scene of bitter fighting between insurgents, US-backed Afghan forces, US marines and British troops. The Taliban launched more attacks in Helmand in 2015 than any other province.