Civilian toll mounts

Residents were urged yesterday to evacuate a besieged Afghan city as the army prepared a major offensive against Taliban insurgents 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.

"Please leave as soon as possible so that we can start our operation," General Sami Sadat, commander of the 215 Maiwand Afghan Army Corps, said in a message to the city of 200,000 delivered via the media. "I know it is very difficult for you to leave your houses -- it is hard for us too -- but if you are displaced for a few days, please forgive us."

The loss of Lashkar Gah would be a massive strategic and psychological blow for the government, which has pledged to defend cities at all costs after losing much of the rural countryside to the Taliban over the summer.

Fighting was also reported in various parts of the country including Herat and Kandahar.

Washington and London meanwhile accused the Taliban of committing atrocities that may amount to "war crimes" in the town of Spin Boldak, which the insurgents captured last month along the border with Pakistan.

Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission earlier said the insurgents had indulged in revenge killings there of at least 40 people.

Fighting across the country has displaced around 80,000 children from the start of June, humanitarian organisation Save the Children said yesterday.