A top Afghan military commander has ordered residents to leave the besieged city of Lashkar Gah in southern Afghanistan as the army prepared a major offensive to flush out Taliban fighters after three days of heavy fighting.
The Taliban have seized control of much of rural Afghanistan since foreign forces began the last stage of their withdrawal in May, but are now focused on capturing provincial capitals, where they are meeting stiffer resistance.
Fighting is raging for Lashkar Gah, the capital of southern Helmand province, with the United Nations saying at least 40 civilians were killed in the last 24 hours.
General Sami Sadat, commander of the 215 Maiwand Afghan Army Corps, told residents on Tuesday to get out as soon as they could.

Al Jazeera's Charlotte Bellis reports from Kabul, Afghanistan.

- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish/
- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera/
- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

#Afghanisatn #Taliban #LashkarGah