Afghan army troops have penetrated the heart of the Taleban-held town of Musa Qala, according to a spokesman for the Nato-led force in Afghanistan.
Isaf's Major Charles Anthony said Key media role for Murdoch son ...
Taleban shun Karzai talks offer ... Afghan National Army troops "are in the centre of the town", which is the only major Afghan centre in Taleban hands.
Afghan, US and UK troops have been fighting Taleban there since Friday.
The Taleban took over Musa Qala in February, despite a deal struck with tribal elders when UK troops withdrew.
It has since become the main centre of drugs trading in Afghanistan, the BBC's David Loyn in Kabul says.
Hardships
Twelve Taleban fighters, two children and a British soldier are reported to have been killed in the battle. A second Nato soldier died in the area on Sunday.
Two senior Taleban leaders are reported to have been captured in the fighting.
The assault is the first major operation where the new Afghan army is playing a leading role.
Heavy rain fell on the battlefield overnight, making conditions difficult for vehicles as sand turns to mud.
It is also another hardship for thousands of residents of Musa Qala who fled north across the desert to the mountains when the fighting began.
On Sunday, the Taleban mounted attacks in three other towns in Helmand in an apparent diversionary tactic.
But a British army spokesman said this did not distract focus away from the main battle to re-take Musa Qala.
(BBC)
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