Afghan Forces Brace to Take Back Major City from Taliban

Afghan police sit at the back of a truck near a frontline during a battle with the Taliban in Kunduz city, northern Afghanistan, September 29, 2015.

Published 29 September 2015

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The Taliban extremists took over the critical city of Kunduz, their first major offensive in 14 years, highlighting failed U.S. and NATO strategy.

Afghan security forces mobilized Tuesday in preparation for an operation to retake the city of Kunduz a day after Taliban insurgents took over the city, their first major victory since being ousted in 2001, following the United States invasion.

President Ashraf Ghani told reporters in Kabul that national forces have made significant advances as of Tuesday morning, retaking control of several buildings, including a newly built police station and the city's prison.

Afghanistan will not be fooled again. Raw footage of Taliban takeover of #Kunduz, guy wants Sharia Law (talib style) pic.twitter.com/LW1zDwxmEl
— Shuja Rabbani (@ShujaRabbani) September 28, 2015

Ghani, who marked his first anniversary in office Tuesday, added that the Taliban extremists were using residents of the city as human shields .

On Monday, Afghan security forces retreated to the outlying airport, leaving the Taliban effectively in control of Kunduz after they stormed the city, capturing government buildings and freeing at least 600 prisoners. Hundreds of them were Taliban members.

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Wahidullah Mayar, an Afghan health ministry spokesperson, told Al-Jazeera that as of Tuesday morning, hospitals in Kunduz province had received 16 fatalities and 172 injured,

#AFG Deputy head of Kundoz provincial council,Taliban have started attacking Kundoz airport from Dawara& Rustaq Abad fronts.Heavy fighting.
— Bilal Sarwary (@bsarwary) September 29, 2015

Meanwhile, the Taliban denied official claims of advances in Kunduz. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, in a statement emailed to Voice of America, said that his group's fighters remained in firm control of the city and are consolidating positions to defend Kunduz.

According to NATO officials and President Ghani, the U.S. conducted airstrikes on Kunduz against Taliban fighters "in order to eliminate a threat to the force," according to U.S. Army Colonel Brian Tribus, spokesperson for the U.S. and NATO missions in Afghanistan.

The new takeover by the Taliban highlights the flawed strategy of the U.S. and its allies in dealing with increasing violence in Afghanistan, which continues to suffer the consequences of the U.S. invasion some 14 years later.

Striking to hear world leaders talk about the internatl community solving Syria on the same day as Taliban retakes territory in Afghanistan.
— Max Fisher (@Max_Fisher) September 28, 2015

The U.S. and NATO forces are in the process of withdrawing from the country, however, the recent Taliban offensives raises doubts about the readiness of the Afghan forces.

Kunduz province, which borders Tajikistan, is a major transport hub for the north of the country. Observers say it could offer the Taliban a strategic new base of operations beyond their traditional southern strongholds.

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