According to some specialists, this offensive is a response to the Taliban’s rejection of President Joe Biden’s announcement that US troops would remain at least until September, when they would initially withdraw on May 1.

Helmand provincial council chief Attaullah Afghan said the Taliban launched a massive offensive Monday from multiple directions, attacking checkpoints on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah, where they seized some of the checkpoints.

The insurgents had been pushed back, but fighting continued Tuesday and hundreds of families were displaced, he added. Helmand was where US and British forces suffered most of their losses during the 20-year war, and just two days ago they handed over a base they held to Afghan troops.

The Afghan Defense Ministry said that, in addition to Helmand, security forces responded to Taliban attacks in the last 24 hours in at least six other provinces, including Ghazni (southeast) and Kandahar (south).

According to the source, just over 100 Taliban fighters were killed in Helmand, although he did not provide details on Army casualties.

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