The Taliban had seized the city in northern Afghanistan several days ago
Kabul: Kunduz city, one of Afghanistan’s major urban centres, was captured by Talibani militants on Monday. In an organized attempt to oust them from the city, the Afghani forces orchestrated an overnight mission and have managed to regain major portions of the city, including the Intelligence agency building, the Governor’s office and the Police Chief’s office. Known to have entered the city with the incoming crowd for the recent Eid festival, sources claimed that the militants were met with severe casualties in the fight.
Image Source: CNN
This battle comes started on the first anniversary of Afghani President Ashraf Ghani’s power, critics stated that this was a huge political blow to his office, especially since coalition forces have started withdrawal efforts. The city under attack is not only an important economic centre amongst the surrounding areas, it is also a transport hub with a population of nearly 300,000 residents.
An important victory in the battle against the Taliban insurgency, the government reinforced the success by claiming that the Afghan forces were efficient and quick in their recapture, although witnesses had said that the militants were mining roads and digging holes for strategic positions, hence contradicting public opinion that said that the Kunduz struggle would be a tough one. According to interior ministry spokesperson Sediq Sediqqi, the win was representative of a passed test to prove that Afghanistan was capable of defending its integrity without physical support from the Nato Army. He said, “This is a huge blow for the Taliban. It proves Afghan special forces are elite fighters who can win battles.”
The recapture was carried out in much the same way as the Taliban’s seizure of the city on Monday, which was met with an under-prepared resistance in their siege. Forces attacked from multiple directions, with simultaneous offenses and managed to take control, killing almost 200 militants in the process. The first success for the Taliban in 14 years, the spokesperson for the interior ministry said that efforts towards “clearing the city” of all other minor Talibani pockets were under progress and that it was expected to take a few more days.
However, the residents are still living in a state of panic, more so because the militants are forcefully recruiting local men and boys in the fight. Said one frightened resident, “The fighting is intensifying. The situation is really critical and getting worse, and I’ve just heard a huge explosion from a bomb near my house.” Moreover, the jihadi group countered the government’s claims and announced that Mujahideen were still fighting within the inner security circle of the city.
Terrorist violence has risen all over the country after the coalition army’s withdrawal in December, which left behind minimal forces aiding training operations in the country. In fact, the overhaul in Kunduz was also performed under the guidance of these troops, consisting majorly of American fighters: but they were not ground fighters in the struggle. Hence, it is being called as a symbolic win for the terrorist organization, implying that Afghanistan still needs assistance from the Nato forces. While many are appreciating the government’s efforts, a majority of the people are still disappointed in the security programmes in an area that is known to be a prime terror target.
Stated the Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah, “The government must address its “shortcomings” over Kunduz, but he said it was a sign that Afghanistan still needed the support of the US and the international community.”
Source:BBC
Tags: Afghanistan Kunduz Taliban
