At least 65 Afghan soldiers have defected to the Taliban, taking their weapons and equipment with them and 88 have been killed in days of heavy fighting in Helmand, the local provincial Governor said on Saturday. "Soldiers from an Afghan army brigade in Station area have joined the Taliban with their equipment and weapons," Helmand Governor Mirza Khan Rahimi said. Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said in a statement that five commanders and 65 army soldiers "repented their mistakes and surrendered to Mujahideen", bringing 5 armoured personnel carriers as well as weapons and ammunition.

Copyright Reuters, 2015