Afghan airstrike at Taliban-controlled area, hitting a market

Residents in Helmand’s besieged provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, said airstrikes destroyed a market in the center of the city — an area controlled by the Taliban.

Afghan officials say the Taliban now controls nine out of the 10 districts of the city.

Afghanistan’s elite commandos have deployed to Lashkar Gah, backed up by airstrikes by the Afghan and U.S. air forces.

The Taliban began sweeping across Afghanistan at an unexpected speed after the U.S. and NATO began their final pullout in late April.