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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Afghan Taliban attack: Fears for civilians in Kunduz | Afghan Taliban attack: Fears for civilians in Kunduz |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Rights groups have expressed concern for the large numbers of civilians trapped in the Afghan city of Kunduz, amid fierce fighting between the Taliban and government troops. | Rights groups have expressed concern for the large numbers of civilians trapped in the Afghan city of Kunduz, amid fierce fighting between the Taliban and government troops. |
| The government has accused the Taliban of raping and killing civilians after it seized the northern city this week. The Taliban rejected the accusations. | The government has accused the Taliban of raping and killing civilians after it seized the northern city this week. The Taliban rejected the accusations. |
| Both sides are claiming to be in control of much of the city. | Both sides are claiming to be in control of much of the city. |
| Kunduz was the first major urban centre to fall to the Taliban in 14 years. | Kunduz was the first major urban centre to fall to the Taliban in 14 years. |
| In another development on Friday, the Taliban captured Baharak district in neighbouring Badakhshan province. | |
| Baharak is only 40km (24 miles) from the provincial capital Faizabad. | |
| This comes a day after the militants seized Badakhshan's Warduj district, which shares a border with China and Pakistan. | |
| 'Mass murder' | 'Mass murder' |
| Local residents in Kunduz say they are trapped in their homes and are running out of supplies. | |
| "We are facing a shortage of food and water, and cannot go out as we are afraid of being shot at by both sides," one resident, who did not want to be named, told the BBC's Afghan service. | "We are facing a shortage of food and water, and cannot go out as we are afraid of being shot at by both sides," one resident, who did not want to be named, told the BBC's Afghan service. |
| The International Committee of the Red Cross says it is "increasingly concerned" by the shortage of medical supplies and personnel. | The International Committee of the Red Cross says it is "increasingly concerned" by the shortage of medical supplies and personnel. |
| Meanwhile, rights group Amnesty International that said the Taliban was behind "mass murder, gang rapes and house-to-house searches" in Kunduz. | Meanwhile, rights group Amnesty International that said the Taliban was behind "mass murder, gang rapes and house-to-house searches" in Kunduz. |
| The Afghan government has accused the Taliban of "extrajudicial killings" and "crimes against humanity". | The Afghan government has accused the Taliban of "extrajudicial killings" and "crimes against humanity". |
| 'Symbolic victory' | 'Symbolic victory' |
| However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed the accusations. | However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed the accusations. |
| "The enemy is engaged in a negative propaganda against us accusing us of harming people and property. We reject all of this," the spokesman told the BBC. | "The enemy is engaged in a negative propaganda against us accusing us of harming people and property. We reject all of this," the spokesman told the BBC. |
| 'No one can live there' | 'No one can live there' |
| The BBC's Justin Rowlatt visited the outskirts of Kunduz on Thursday. Here, he describes what he saw: | The BBC's Justin Rowlatt visited the outskirts of Kunduz on Thursday. Here, he describes what he saw: |
| Even before we landed, it was clear that the conflict wasn't over. I could see a column of black smoke rising up from the city. | Even before we landed, it was clear that the conflict wasn't over. I could see a column of black smoke rising up from the city. |
| General Murad Ali Murad, the commander in charge of the operation, said his men were in control of the city but conceded that there were still pockets of resistance. | General Murad Ali Murad, the commander in charge of the operation, said his men were in control of the city but conceded that there were still pockets of resistance. |
| A member of the provincial assembly I got talking to outside was much more outspoken. He said he was desperate to get back to his city but was too frightened. | A member of the provincial assembly I got talking to outside was much more outspoken. He said he was desperate to get back to his city but was too frightened. |
| "It is war", he told me. "There is so much fighting, no one can live there." | "It is war", he told me. "There is so much fighting, no one can live there." |
| The Afghan army was worried about taking us into the city - when we finally left it was in Humvees - heavily armoured cars. But we never made it into Kunduz. | The Afghan army was worried about taking us into the city - when we finally left it was in Humvees - heavily armoured cars. But we never made it into Kunduz. |
| Our convoy pulled up at the outskirts of the city, where we were shown three bodies, Taliban fighters killed in a drone strike the night before, we were told. | Our convoy pulled up at the outskirts of the city, where we were shown three bodies, Taliban fighters killed in a drone strike the night before, we were told. |
| After a couple of minutes on the ground we were bundled back into the Humvees and whisked to the waiting helicopter. | After a couple of minutes on the ground we were bundled back into the Humvees and whisked to the waiting helicopter. |
| It was clear the battle for Kunduz had not yet been won. | It was clear the battle for Kunduz had not yet been won. |
| Street battles took place all day on Thursday as government forces pushed back the insurgents who seized the city on Monday. | Street battles took place all day on Thursday as government forces pushed back the insurgents who seized the city on Monday. |
| Clashes continued on Friday, with eyewitnesses describing seeing Taliban fighters on the streets or hiding in civilian houses. | Clashes continued on Friday, with eyewitnesses describing seeing Taliban fighters on the streets or hiding in civilian houses. |
| Kunduz police chief General Mohammad Qasim Jangal Bagh told the BBC security forces were "now clearing streets of Taliban". | Kunduz police chief General Mohammad Qasim Jangal Bagh told the BBC security forces were "now clearing streets of Taliban". |
| However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said: "We still control the city and expelled the government forces back to the airport". | However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said: "We still control the city and expelled the government forces back to the airport". |
| "They have now left the city. Only a small number of troops are still present in the old police headquarter, which is under our siege." | "They have now left the city. Only a small number of troops are still present in the old police headquarter, which is under our siege." |
| Earlier, Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour said the militants had won a "symbolic victory" by seizing Kunduz. | Earlier, Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour said the militants had won a "symbolic victory" by seizing Kunduz. |
| Kunduz, with a population of around 300,000, is one of Afghanistan's largest cities and strategically important both as a transport hub and a bread-basket for the region. | Kunduz, with a population of around 300,000, is one of Afghanistan's largest cities and strategically important both as a transport hub and a bread-basket for the region. |