Afghan army bids to lift Taliban siege in the Sangin district

The Afghan military has rushed reinforcements to a besieged southern district threatened for days with takeover by the Taliban.

As fighting in the Sangin district of southern Helmand province continues, Afghan army and police forces arrived to help security forces pinned down for days in the besieged area, and defence minister Masoom Stanekzai appealed for stepped-up Nato assistance and military support.

Speaking to reporters in the capital, Kabul, Mr Stanekzai said the country’s overstretched security forces need the international military coalition’s help, especially air support, which would help reduce casualties.