Afghan Soldiers, Besieged by Taliban, Say They Are Outgunned - The New York Times

Afghan Soldiers, Besieged by Taliban, Say They Are Outgunned - The New York Times:

“The Afghan security forces have not made progress in the past seven days of fierce fighting,” said Hajji Mohammad Omar, a member of the Nad Ali district council; Nad Ali district borders the Helmand provincial capital, which appears to be the Taliban’s goal.
Control of Helmand is as much an economic prize as a strategic one because the province accounts for nearly half the opium poppy cultivation in the country, according to United Nations surveys. The province has long been a stronghold for the Taliban, and it was a major focus of the American troop surge done several years ago in an effort to make the district and provincial capitals safer.