Taliban Capture of Musa Qala Confirmed

Less than a year on from the withdrawal of British soldiers from Helmand, the one aspect of life in Musa Qala that they fought to banish looks like returning. The Taliban - for whom the town's opium riches have long made it a key prize - are back.
In a night-time assault last month, heavily-armed militants swept in from the surrounding hills, killing 17 Afghan officers in an outlying police station and ransacking the town centre.
Not only are they back: with the war showing no sign of fading away, the Taliban look set to be rewarded with peace talks and a share in government.