Besieged on a 'Taliban-made island,' Kandahar's residents see no way out as militants advance ever closer

A wedding hall in the west of Kandahar, Afghanistan's second city, now lies on the front line of fierce fighting between Taliban forces and Afghan government troops.

Dust coats the chairs where the guests would normally sit. Instead of the chatter of celebration, gun shots crack through the air. Glass is pockmarked with bullet holes.

Only 50 yards from the wedding hall, according to Afghan soldiers, Taliban snipers hidden in civilian homes are firing night and day. A Taliban flag is visible on a nearby mountain top.