Airstrikes pummel Taliban in south; insurgents gain in north

Kabul: The Afghan air force carried out more airstrikes against Taliban positions in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, as the insurgent force made additional gains in the country's north. A defense ministry statement said air strikes were carried out across the country, including in the southern Helmand province, where the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah is being fiercely contested.

The Taliban control of nine of the city's 10 police districts. Residents in Lashkar Gah reported heavy bombing near the government radio and television station, which is under Taliban control.

Several wedding halls and a guesthouse of the provincial governor's are all located near the radio and television station.

In northern Afghanistan, the Taliban took control of most of the provincial capital of Sar-e-Pul, the head of its council, Mohammad Noor Rahmani said. In recent months, the group has gained control of dozens of districts across several provinces in the north.

The UN Security Council, under the Presidency of India, will meet on Friday to discuss the worsening security situation in Afghanistan.

The decision to hold the open UNSC briefing on Afghanistan comes just a day after Afghanistan Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar spoke with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar "to discuss convening an emergency UN Security Council Session on Afghanistan. UN #SecurityCouncil will meet on Friday, 6th August, under Indian Presidency to discuss and take stock of the situation in #Afghanistan," India's Permanent Representative to UN and Security Council President for the month of August Ambassador T S Tirumurti tweeted late on Wednesday.