Afghans fleeing Taliban's onslaught

FILE - In this Sept. 12, 2020 file photo, Abdullah Abdullah, center, chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, attends the opening session of the peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Doha, Qatar.   Afghan officials say, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020,  more than 5,600 families have fled their homes amid renewed fighting between the Taliban and government forces in southern Helmand province. The upsurge in fighting comes as Afghan government representatives and the Taliban are holding peace talks in Qatar, trying to end the war. (AP Photo/ Hussein Sayed, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 12, 2020 file photo, Abdullah Abdullah, center, chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, attends the opening session of the peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in Doha, Qatar. Afghan officials say, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020, more than 5,600 families have fled their homes amid renewed fighting between the Taliban and government forces in southern Helmand province. The upsurge in fighting comes as Afghan government representatives and the Taliban are holding peace talks in Qatar, trying to end the war. (AP Photo/ Hussein Sayed, File)

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan -- Renewed fighting between the Taliban and Afghan government forces in southern Helmand province has forced more than 5,600 families to flee their homes, officials said Thursday.

The fighting takes place as Afghan government representatives and the Taliban are holding peace talks in Qatar, where the Taliban have for years maintained a political office. The negotiations, envisaged under a U.S. deal signed with the insurgents in February, are meant to end Afghanistan's grueling 19-year war and are seen as the country's best chance at peace.

The Trump administration has pledged to pull out American forces from Afghanistan, but U.S. officials have stressed that the Taliban still have not met requirements to reduce violence against the Afghans, a key element of the U.S. withdrawal plan.

In Helmand, Omar Zwak, the provincial governor's spokesman, said Afghan security forces were trying to regain areas lost to the Taliban over the weekend, while officials were scrambling to provide food and shelter to the growing number of civilians fleeing from nearby districts to the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah.

Ajab Gul, 25, and his family have been in the city for four days. "The Taliban have taken over our village and both sides in the battle are using light and heavy weapons, so how could we stay there?" he said.

Afghanistan's refugee department estimates an average family has seven members, meaning nearly 40,000 people have likely been displaced, said Mohammad Ramen Ibrahimi, the department's provincial director.

The Taliban control roughly 80% of Helmand province, and over the past year have waged several attacks on Lashkar Gah, only to be repulsed by Afghan security forces, whose control is largely restricted to district centers.

Last week, the Taliban attacked in different parts of Helmand province, Zwak said. He claimed that government forces had retaken much of the territory lost over the weekend, but operations were still ongoing in other parts of the province.

However, several people who had fled to Lashkar Gah told The Associated Press that the Taliban were in control of most of their districts -- Marjah, Nad Ali and Nawa. They said the fighting and airstrikes by Afghan forces had forced them to leave their homes and property.

Most of the people who fled were staying with relatives in Lashkar Gah, said Ibrahimi. His refugee department was providing food and shelter to those with nowhere to stay, but he said more people were arriving in the city each day.

Zwak, the governor's spokesman, said discussions were underway between the central government, charity organizations and businesses to help those in need.

In Kabul, President Ashraf Ghani and other government officials attended the funeral for nine Afghan service members who died Tuesday night when two army helicopters collided in Helmand.

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