8am: On Thursday (December 15th), local sources confirmed to Hasht-e Subh that the Taliban commanders in Helmand treated the Kandahari Taliban in a humiliating manner, which caused them to desert military service and leave the 215 Maiwand Corps’ base. Video footage, which was made available to Hasht-e Subh, also shows Taliban fighters leaving the Taliban camp in Helmand collectively in a convoy of military vehicles. Click here to read more (external link).