Taliban Overthrows Afghan Government Control In Helmand District

Heavy fighting in the Helmand district of Afghanistan has resulted with shifting control to Taliban.

Deputy director of the provincial council, Abdul Majeed Akhonzada, said twenty police officers have been killed or wounded in the combat and the district now has fallen into the hands of Taliban militants group.

The Helmand district borders Pakistan. It is a major poppy-producing district and 60 percent of it are now in Taliban control, added Akhonzada.

The district produces most of the opium in the world and this will fund the insurgency of the group.

Earlier several other districts too came in control of the Taliban that includes Marjah, Garmser, Sangin and Dishu. After the fall of Kanashin, major smuggling route for opium, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said government forces have lost part of the territory that was held in January-end.

At the end of January this year the government had control or influence to 70.5 percent of the districts, but by the end of May it decreased to 65.6 percent.

The country has 407 districts and 268 were under the control of the government. Data reveals 36 districts were under insurgent control and 104 were at risk.

Since 2001 the Taliban militants group are fighting to overthrow the government.