The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan warned that the effects of “indiscriminate” artillery and air strikes would be “disastrous.”

The United Nations called on the warring parties in Afghanistan to take more measures to protect civilians and warned that the effects of “indiscriminate” artillery and air strikes would be “catastrophic.”

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) pointed out in a series of tweets on Tuesday that the Taliban’s ground attack and the Afghan army’s air strikes caused the most damage.

“The Taliban’s ground offensive and ANA’s air strikes caused the most damage,” UNAMA posted in a post, referring to the Afghan National Army.

“Deeply concerned about the indiscriminate shooting and damage/occupation of medical facilities and private houses.”

Since the beginning of the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan in May, the Taliban have intensified their attacks and made significant territorial gains, especially in rural areas of Afghanistan

Thousands of people have been displaced, while the U.S. and U.K. Accuse the Taliban Committing “war crimes” and “slaughter of civilians”.

Several provincial capitals have been surrounded by the Taliban, and fierce fighting has been going on for several days in the capitals of Helmand and Kandahar provinces in the south and Herat, the capital of the provinces of the same name in the west.

Al Jazeera’s James Beth reported from Kabul that Rashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand Province, is witnessing the fiercest fighting in recent days, with Taliban fighters in the city center.

“Currently, the battle for Lashkar Gah is ongoing,” he said.

“Fighting took place around the governor’s compound, around the police headquarters, around the prison, and around the main buildings in the city center. We were told that as the violent fighting continued, gunfire was almost uninterrupted.”

Beth quoted the Ministry of Health of Afghanistan as saying that at least 38 people have died in the past three days and another 156 were injured in Lashkar Gah.

Officials said that the Taliban had seized nearly a dozen local radio and television stations in the city, leaving only one channel that supported the Taliban to broadcast Islamic programs.

“The fighting was very fierce this morning,” said Sefatula, the director of Laskar Gazukon Radio.

“We stopped broadcasting two days ago because the Taliban occupied our radio building.”

The loss of Lashkar Gah will be a major strategic and psychological blow for the government. After most of the rural areas were occupied by the Taliban this summer, the government promised to defend the city at all costs.

A policeman holding a rocket grenade launcher on a highway in Herat [Hoshang Hashimi/AFP]

In Herat, also under siege, hundreds of residents chanted “Allah is supreme” (Allah is the greatest) on the roof after government forces repelled the Taliban’s recent attack.

Afghan officials in Herat stated that government forces have successfully repelled Taliban militants from several areas of the city, including near the airport, which is crucial for supplies.

Jailani Farhad, a spokesperson for the governor of Herat, said: “Afghan security forces and resistance have launched a large-scale operation in the western part of the city.”

A source in the Herat hospital told DPA News Agency that it had received 24 bodies and nearly 200 wounded in the past six days. Among the victims were members of the security forces.

Another source from the Kandahar Ministry of Health said that the province had recorded 28 deaths and 191 injuries in the past 10 days.