Afghan forces retake district in southern province of Helmand
KABUL -- Afghan security forces backed by U.S. air strikes have retaken a southern district from the Taliban as part of a drive to weaken the insurgents' hold on Helmand province and push them back from around its capital, Lashkar Gah, officials said on Monday.
A two-day offensive, supported by numerous air strikes from U.S. F-16 fighters and Apache helicopters, launched on Saturday saw security forces take the district centre of Nawa, to the south of Lashkar Gah, officials said.
More than 50 fighters were killed and vehicles and equipment were destroyed, said defence ministry spokesman General Dawlat Waziri. Over 100 improvised explosive devices were also disabled, Task Force Southwest, the U.S. Marine Corps-led training and assistance mission in Helmand said in a statement.
