Kandahar
Lashkar-e-Taiba Foothold Found in Helmand as Taliban Threaten City
Lashkar-e-Taiba is an active terrorist organization based in Pakistan whose goal is to challenge India’s sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir.
Afghan authorities who are battling Taliban insurgency to win Helmand province in south of Afghanistan has told Ariana News that Pakistani intelligence officers are commanding the LeT militants.
Reports suggest that currently the insurgents are performing attacks against the governmental forces in a distance not more than 10 kilometer to Laskar Gah city, the capital of Helmand.
It seems that Taliban’s fighting tactics has been changed this year. The insurgents have been trained professionally to fight against the Afghan security forces.
Settlement of Taliban’s Quetta Shura in Helmand province, involvement of regional and international mafia in Helmand war, cultivation and production of the world narcotic drugs, illegal trade of alabaster stone and jobbery by governmental officials are the reasons of intensified war in Helmand.
But Taliban access to Iranian and Pakistani night weapons, snipers, and heavy weapons are the main reason why the war in Helmand is tough for Afghan forces this year.
Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) are another challenge for Afghan forces which leaves high causalities to governmental forces and prevents ground advancements.
According to the reports there are about 4,000 militants in 12 groups including the Taliban’s red group fighting against the government forces in the strategic Helmand province where officials reported that there are many ghost soldiers compare to number on the records.
Despite of all these challenges Afghan soldiers said that Taliban are not capable to fight face to face with them; therefore, they are using guerilla tactics such as planting mines, ambushes and suicide attacks.
Sediq Sediqi, spokesman for the ministry of interior said Taliban have experienced heavy causalities and our forces are more mobilized now.
Helmand is among the volatile provinces in south of Afghanistan where the insurgents are controlling many districts of the province and fighting have reached to Lashkar Gah the capital of the city.
Government deployed high ranking security officials including General Murad Ali Murad, deputy chief of staff of the Afghan Army with reinforcements to topple Taliban in the province after the group overrun Nawa district last week.
Reported by: Ahmad Farshad Saleh