Military reinforcements have arrived in the Afghan town of Sangin to support police and soldiers besieged by Taliban militants, the Helmand district governor has told the BBC.
Mohammad Jan Rasoulyar also said that military planes had dropped food
He said the army was "now taking the fight to the Taliban".
Civilians have been fleeing the town amid continuing bitter fighting.
The Taliban insist that their siege of the town is not over "and the government will soon announce their defeat".