Thousands have fled fighting between Taliban and Afghan forces in the southern province of Helmand, trapping civilians in the capital, Lashkargah, and disrupting healthcare. Local authorities say up to 35,000 people are displaced, though humanitarian assessments are still underway. Peace talks between the Taliban and government started in September but violence has risen. “Too many Afghans are dying,” the US envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, warned on 15 October.
