KABUL, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants' massive offensive against government positions in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province over the weekend to capture the provincial capital Lashkar Gah, the second largest city in the southern region of Afghanistan, have failed.
The attacking militants had for some time gained ground including capturing PD4 of Lashkar Gah city and Baba Ji area outside the city, forcing hundreds of families to leave to escape the war.
To expel the militants from the city, the government forces' fighting planes launched airstrikes on Sunday and Monday, killing at least 70 insurgents, local officials said.
The government also sent reinforcement to Lashkar on Monday night and so far over two dozen insurgents have been killed, local media reported on Tuesday.
More than 100 militants have been injured in the ongoing fighting for the control of Lashkar Gah city, according to Helmand police chief Khalil Rahman Jawad.
Although there is no report on government forces casualties, locals on the condition of anonymity say that dozens of security personnel have been killed and injured.
Taliban's mufti-pronged offensive to overrun Lashkar Gah city came amid Afghan peace efforts in Doha to find negotiated solution to the country's protracted war.
Following Taliban failure to overrun Lashkar Gah city, the government's negotiating team and Taliban delegation resumed talks on Monday night in Doha after 12 days of pause in their negotiations.
Although there was disagreement on some issues, both sides agreed to continue the talks, local media quoted Taliban's Doha office spokesman Mohammad Naeem Wardak as saying.
"In addition to diplomatic pressures, victory on battle ground is key element to make peace talks succeed on negotiating table," an Afghan analyst Edres Rahmani told local media. Enditem
