Afghan and British troops are winning the battle to retake the Taliban-held town of Musa Qala, officials said yesterday, warning the rebels to surrender after deadly gunbattles near the southern stronghold.
Soldiers exchanged fire with the militants two kilometres (one mile) from the centre of the town in Helmand province and captured two Taliban commanders, a statement from the Afghan defence ministry said.
"The enemy has lost their morale and our troops are advancing with success," the statement said.
"The Taliban must leave Musa Qala or face waves of attacks."
Musa Qala has become a base for the Taliban, who were in government between 1996 and 2001 and are now waging an intensifying insurgency that has this year left around 6,000 people dead.
British and Afghan troops are leading the operation officially launched on Friday to take it back from the rebels, who moved in 10 months ago breaking a deal which led British forces to pull out.
"The ANA (Afghan National Army) troops backed by NATO forces continue advancing from south and west directions and this past night the troops advanced from the north too," the statement added.
Britain has already lost a soldier in a mine explosion, while two children and about a dozen Taliban have also been killed, defence officials said Friday.
A British military spokesman in Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Eaton, said the operation would continue until the door to Musa Qala was "kicked in."