Afghan security forces plan push to relieve besieged provincial capital

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan: Afghan forces backed by air strikes are preparing a new offensive to clear Taliban militants encircling the capital of Afghanistan's province of Uruzgan, where the two sides have fought bitter clashes, officials said on Saturday.

Street-to-street fighting in Tarin Kot, the provincial capital, where Taliban fighters rampaged to within a few meters (yards) of the government center on Thursday, has quieted as the frontline has moved 15 to 20 km (9 to 12 miles) away, said Dost Mohammed Nayab, the provincial governor's spokesman.