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Afghan forces claim recapture of Kunduz from Taliban Afghan troops seize parts of Kunduz from Taliban
(about 1 hour later)
The Afghan government says it has recaptured most parts of Kunduz, the northern city seized by the Taliban earlier this week, forcing the insurgents to retreat in heavy street fighting that was still underway on Thursday. Afghan government forces have recaptured parts of central Kunduz, the northern city seized by the Taliban this week, but fighting endures in and around the city.
Afghan special forces launched an operation around 9 pm on Wednesday, alongside regular soldiers and police. They were backed by coalition airstrikes and international troops, thought to be acting in an advisory role. Special forces launched an operation at about 9pm on Wednesday alongside soldiers and police. They were backed by international special forces, believed to be acting mainly in an advisory role.
Photos on social media showed soldiers removing a Taliban flag from the city’s central square. A Taliban spokesman said its fighters were still resisting government forces in the centre and controlled most of the rest of Kunduz. “By 3.30am, our special forces were able to retake the city and clear the city from terrorists,” said Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for the Afghan interior ministry. “There are lots of dead bodies of Taliban in the city right now. Hundreds of them,” he said.
The claim and counter-claim follow three days of heavy fighting after the Taliban seized the city on Monday, in a stunning surprise assault. It was the first time since 2001 that the insurgents have been able to breach a large city. However, residents said fighting was continuing in several central areas, including around the police headquarters. Some militants were thought to have scattered to the districts, or to be hiding in civilian houses, which the army were searching door-to-door.
According to a security official close to the Afghan government, the US military carried out at least two airstrikes. The defence ministry said about 150 insurgents were killed. According to a security official close to the Afghan government, approximately 200 Afghan special forces participated in the operation.
Photos on social media showed soldiers removing a Taliban flag from the city’s main square. A resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “It was a terrible night. They were bombing the city and there were helicopters and airstrikes.”
It was unclear how many airstrikes Afghan troops conducted, but the US military said they had launched six airstrikes since Kunduz fell on Monday, including three on Wednesday, of which none had occurred after the operation began.
Related: The Guardian view on the fall of Kunduz: the high price of international neglect | EditorialRelated: The Guardian view on the fall of Kunduz: the high price of international neglect | Editorial
“By 3.30 am, our special forces were able to retake the city and clear the city from terrorists,” said Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for the Afghan interior ministry. It was also unclear where the Taliban had gone. Some militants appeared to have fled before the government counteroffensive, taking vast quantities of seized weapons and vehicles with them to Chardara district, according to one resident. “For the moment, [the Taliban] are out of the city but I think they are more powerful now,” the resident said.
“There are lots of dead bodies of Taliban in the city right now. Hundreds of them,” he said, estimating that at least 200 militants had been killed in the operation. “The job is not done yet,” Sediqqi added. “We are still looking for explosives, terrorists and suicide bombers.”
Zabihullah, a Kunduz resident living close to the main city square, who like many Afghans prefers to use one name, said that “intense fighting is continuing on the streets of city.” The recapture of parts of Kunduz follows three days of heavy fighting after the Taliban seized the city in a surprise assault. It was the first time since 2001 the insurgents managed to breach a large city. They did so despite being vastly outnumbered. Thousands of security forces simply fled when the militants advanced.
“The situation is really critical and getting worse, and I’ve just heard a huge explosion from a bomb near my house,” he said, speaking to the AP over the telephone from his home. Ruhollah, a 30-year-old resident of Imam Saheb district, said while the Taliban were in control there, there were only about 50 insurgents in stolen police vehicles and on motorbikes in and around the district centre. Though the fighting continued elsewhere in Imam Sahib, security forces had easily taken the centre.
The militants also captured several districts surrounding Kunduz, which are still largely under their control, according to the government security source. It was part of a broader offensive in the north of the country and officials expect the Taliban to keep attacking military checkpoints and other facilities in the neighbouring provinces of Baghlan and Takhar. Ruhollah said: “When there was rumour that the government forces were coming, the Taliban ran away.”