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Afghan government troops call for reinforcements in Helmand
Embattled Afghan troops have appealed for reinforcements in Sangin district amid reports that government forces have lost control of the key strategic town.Soldiers who are apparently under Taliban siege have said that they are running out of food and ammunition and are unable to break the siege and clear the area of militants. Dozens of troops are reportedly still under siege and no one is addressing the problem, a number of troops fighting Taliban in Sangin district said on Thursday. Meanwhile, members of Helmand provincial council have confirmed the reports - which have however been dismissed by senior Afghan security officials including the Ministry of Defense and provincial police chief. Sangin, once a Taliban stronghold - has witnessed fierce fighting over the past two months with several areas of the district in the north still under control of the insurgents. There are reports that the militants have cordoned off all overland routes to the area, leaving air transport as the only way to reach troops. "Two months have past since the war erupted, several troops were wounded and martyred," an Afghan National Army ANA soldier said in Sangin adding that despite numerous pleas, no reinforcements have been sent in. "They (officials) promised that they will do it today or tomorrow, but promises weren't kept. The entire bazaar is under Taliban siege. They (officials) tell us lies. It is now four days that we did not eat," said the soldier. Insurgents however have planted landmines on the routes leading to Sangin district in an effort to inflict more casualties and curb the advance of troops. "There are problems and pressures, Taliban alongside foreigners and opponents mounted their pressure. They (insurgents) had decided to seize control of the entire area in northern Helmand in a bid to establish strong command centers. However, insurgents failed to reach their objectives," Dawlat Waziri, a defense ministry spokesman said. Waziri said they have been supporting Helmand fully, but promised to discuss certain issues facing troops in Helmand with the chief of army staff in order to address the problems. While Waziri dismissed claims made by the embattled forces in Sangin, members of the provincial council said that troops fighting Taliban in Sangin are under serious threat and are facing a food shortage. "The national army and border police forces live inside a fort, supply routes are closed and they face food shortages. According to our information, it is four or five days that they have not eaten food," a member of Helmand provincial council, Abdul Majid said. "A limited area is under control of government forces which is also under the siege of the armed opponents. Government cannot supply them. Because the main road is also under siege of the armed opponents," another member Bashir Ahmad Badalshakir said. Criticism has mounted against the central government in recent months after reports surfaced that government in Kabul has ignored calls from embattled troops for reinforcements. "It is a laughable report to claim that there is no food, water and bullets, it means that the district is protected by ghosts. It is a totally baseless claim. How members of the provincial council know this, I can assure you that everything exists there and all necessary things are dispatched there," Helmand police chief Abdul Rahman Sarjang said. This comes at a time that the Afghan security forces are still battling the Taliban in various regions of the volatile province and Taliban insurgency shows no sign of ending. Video report at the link Posted by: badanov 2016-02-05 |
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