Afghans flee the fighting after the withdrawal of US forces

Kandahar, Afghanistan | Agence France-Presse – Local officials reported that thousands of Afghans have left their homes due to the fierce fighting between government forces and the Taliban in southern Afghanistan, after the last US forces withdrew from the country.

Afghan forces have stopped several attacks at various checkpoints in the past 24 hours in Helmand Province, as the US military handed over a base to government forces on Sunday as part of the withdrawal plan.

Syed Muhammad Ramin, Regional Director for Refugees, said that about 1,000 families left their homes to escape the fighting that erupted around Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand, and elsewhere in the region.

According to him, the families have sought refuge in Lashkarakah from areas where fighting has intensified in the past two days.

“Many of those who have found no shelter in the city are in urgent need of help,” Ramin told AFP.

The Ministry of Defense claimed that government forces had killed more than 100 Taliban fighters in Helmand during the past 24 hours, after militants attacked several checkpoints outside Lashkar Gah.

The ministry added that 22 other al Qaeda militants were killed in the fighting.

For its part, the Taliban claimed that dozens of its Afghan soldiers had been killed.

Both sides tend to exaggerate the numbers for the number of their opponents dead.

Nearly two decades after the United States invaded and ousted the Taliban after the attacks of September 11, 2001, President Joe Biden ordered a complete troop withdrawal in April.

str-us-jds / dw / es / mls