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In January 2016, the US government sent a directive to the Pentagon which granted new legal authority for the US military to go on the offensive against Militants affiliated with the ISIL-KP, after the State Department announced the designation of ISIS in Afghanistan and Pakistan as a foreign terrorist organization. The number of militants started with around 60 or 70, with most of them coming over the border with Pakistan but eventually{{when|date=May 2019}} ranged between 1,000 and 3,000 militants.<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite web |date=21 February 2016 |title=How IS has been making enemies in Afghanistan |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35595446 |work=BBC News}}</ref> They were mainly defectors from the [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan|Afghan]] and the Pakistani Taliban, and were generally confined to [[Nangarhar Province]], and partially, [[Kunar province]].<ref name="bbc.co.uk" /><ref>{{cite web |date=14 January 2016 |title=State Department lists Islamic State's 'Khorasan Province' as Foreign Terrorist Organization |url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/01/state-department-lists-islamic-states-khorasan-province-as-foreign-terrorist-organization.php |work=The Long War Journal}}</ref>
In early February 2016, Taliban insurgents renewed their assault on Sangin, after previously being repulsed in December 2015, launching a string of ferocious attacks on Afghan government forces earlier in the month. As a result, the United States decided to send troops from the 2nd Battalion, [[87th Infantry Regiment (United States)|87th Infantry Regiment]], [[10th Mountain Division]], in order to prop up the Afghan [[215th Corps (Afghanistan)|215th Corps]] in Helmand province, particularly around Sangin, joining US special operations forces already in the area.<ref>{{cite web |date=11 February 2016 |title=US Army orders hundreds of soldiers back to southern Afghanistan |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/02/11/us-army-orders-hundreds-soldiers-back-to-southern-afghanistan.html |publisher=Fox News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=7 February 2016 |title=Taliban 'close to capturing Sangin' as militants step up assault on Helmand |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/07/taliban-close-to-capturing-sangin-as-militants-step-up-assault-on-helmand |work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=8 February 2016 |title=Taliban are 'close to overrunning Sangin' where 106 British soldiers died |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/12145815/Taliban-are-close-to-overrunning-Sangin-where-106-British-soldiers-died.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/12145815/Taliban-are-close-to-overrunning-Sangin-where-106-British-soldiers-died.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |work=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=9 February 2016 |title=U.S. troop reinforcements head for embattled southern Afghan province |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-military-idUSKCN0VI0FX?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews |publisher=Reuters}}</ref><ref name="the New York Times">{{cite news |date=15 March 2016 |title=A 5th District in Helmand Province Falls to the Taliban |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/world/asia/a-5th-district-in-helmand-province-falls-to-the-taliban.html?_r=0 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> On 14 March 2016, [[Khanneshin]] District in Helmand Province fell to the Taliban; and district by district, Afghan troops were retreating back to urban centers in Helmand.<ref name="Aljazeera" /><ref name="the New York Times" /> In early April 2016, 600 Afghan troops launched a major offensive to retake Taliban-occupied areas in and around Sangin.<ref>{{cite web |date=7 April 2016 |title=Afghan forces face 'decisive' battle in Helmand |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-35984894 |work=BBC News}}</ref> An Afghan army offensive to retake the town of Khanisheen was repelled by the Taliban,
Despite US airstrikes, militants besieged Lashkar Gah, reportedly controlling all roads leading to the city and areas a few kilometres away. The US stepped up airstrikes in support of Afghan ground forces. Afghan forces in the city were reported as "exhausted", whilst police checkpoints around the capital were falling one by one. Meanwhile, the Taliban sent a new elite commando force into Helmand called "[[Red Group|Sara Khitta]]" in Pashto.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 August 2016 |title=US airstrikes undermining Afghan security, says former president |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/04/former-afghan-president-criticises-foreign-led-combat-against-Taliban |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805231920/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/04/former-afghan-president-criticises-foreign-led-combat-against-taliban |archive-date=5 August 2016 |work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=9 August 2016 |title=Afghanistan: Helmand Capital May Fall To Taliban |url=https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-helmand-capital-may-fall-to-taliban-10529673 |publisher=Sky News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=6 August 2016 |title=Taliban's new commando force tests Afghan army's strength |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/talibans-new-commando-force-tests-afghan-armys-strength/2016/08/06/406be986-5beb-11e6-8b48-0cb344221131_story.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807161247/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/talibans-new-commando-force-tests-afghan-armys-strength/2016/08/06/406be986-5beb-11e6-8b48-0cb344221131_story.html |archive-date=7 August 2016 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> Afghan security forces beat back attacks by Taliban fighters encroaching on Chah-e-Anji nearby Lashkar Gah; Afghan special forces backed by US airstrikes battled increasingly well-armed and disciplined Taliban militants. An Afghan special forces commander said "The Taliban have heavily armed, uniformed units that are equipped with night vision and modern weapons."<ref>{{cite web |date=14 August 2016 |title=Taliban 'special forces' lead Helmand assault: Afghan officials |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-helmand-idUSKCN10P0KO?il=0 |publisher=Reuters}}</ref>
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