KANDAHAR: Fighting between the Taliban and Afghan government forces resumedon Sunday in the restive southern province of Helmand, officials said,ending a three-day ceasefire agreed by the warring sides to mark the EidulFitr holiday.

Violence has soared as the United States military presses ahead with a planto withdraw all of its troops by September, bringing an end to a 20-yearmilitary operation in Afghanistan.

Clashes between the Taliban and Afghan forces erupted early on Sunday whenthe insurgents attacked security checkpoints on the outskirts of LashkarGah, the capital of Helmand province, said provincial council chiefAttaullah Afghan.

An Afghan army spokesman in the south confirmed fighting had resumed as thethree-day temporary truce ended late on Saturday.

The Helmand governor’s office said that 21 Taliban fighters had been killedin the morning fighting.

Fighting lasted several hours and ended later in the day, the Afghan armysaid, adding that more insurgent attacks were expected at night.

“They (Afghan forces) started the operation… do not put the blame on us,”Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

Washington has vowed to end America’s longest war, but missed a May 1deadline to withdraw agreed with the Taliban last year in return forsecurity guarantees and a promise to launch talks with the Afghangovernment.

President Joe Biden pushed back the date to September 11 — exactly twodecades on from the terrorist attacks in the United States which ledWashington to invade Afghanistan and oust the Taliban from power.

Nishank Motwani, an independent Afghanistan expert based in Australia, saidthe Taliban viewed the American withdrawal as a win.

“It gives the insurgents a proclamation of victory, bookends their removaland eventual return to power, and signals that the end is in sight for theAfghan republic in its current state,” he said. – APP/AFP