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| Afghan Forces Report Progress in Kunduz as Taliban Press Other Fronts | |
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| KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan security forces on Monday reported significant progress in trying to retake the northern city of Kunduz from the Taliban. But evidence of a calculated insurgent offensive on multiple fronts continued, amid reports that yet another provincial capital had come under attack. | KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan security forces on Monday reported significant progress in trying to retake the northern city of Kunduz from the Taliban. But evidence of a calculated insurgent offensive on multiple fronts continued, amid reports that yet another provincial capital had come under attack. |
| With much of the attention still on Kunduz, where fighting continued on Monday and where a devastating American airstrike on Saturday deprived the city’s residents of its most important hospital, new fighting was reported near the provincial capital in Faryab, in northwestern Afghanistan. It was the third northern hub to come under Taliban attack in recent days. | With much of the attention still on Kunduz, where fighting continued on Monday and where a devastating American airstrike on Saturday deprived the city’s residents of its most important hospital, new fighting was reported near the provincial capital in Faryab, in northwestern Afghanistan. It was the third northern hub to come under Taliban attack in recent days. |
| The onslaught on the Faryab provincial capital, Maimana, was barely repelled by the Afghan security forces, said the acting governor, Abdul Sattar Barez. He estimated that some 2,000 Taliban fighters had been involved, but that number seemed high, given that the Taliban managed to take Kunduz City last week with an estimated 300 to 400 fighters. | The onslaught on the Faryab provincial capital, Maimana, was barely repelled by the Afghan security forces, said the acting governor, Abdul Sattar Barez. He estimated that some 2,000 Taliban fighters had been involved, but that number seemed high, given that the Taliban managed to take Kunduz City last week with an estimated 300 to 400 fighters. |
| Regardless, the attacking force was said to include insurgent fighters from four nearby provinces as well as Faryab: Sari Pul, Jawzjan, Badghis and Ghor. The fighting went on for nearly 10 hours as Taliban attacked the city from three directions, Mr. Barez said. He credited the combination of a united Afghan force backed up by Maimana locals as well as air support from the American-led coalition for repelling the attack. | Regardless, the attacking force was said to include insurgent fighters from four nearby provinces as well as Faryab: Sari Pul, Jawzjan, Badghis and Ghor. The fighting went on for nearly 10 hours as Taliban attacked the city from three directions, Mr. Barez said. He credited the combination of a united Afghan force backed up by Maimana locals as well as air support from the American-led coalition for repelling the attack. |
| “The reason we managed to push them back was thanks to the Afghan National Security Forces and the people of Faryab who stood against them and stopped them from achieving their ominous goal,” he said. | “The reason we managed to push them back was thanks to the Afghan National Security Forces and the people of Faryab who stood against them and stopped them from achieving their ominous goal,” he said. |
| “Thanks too, to NATO for their air support,” he said, referring to the international coalition, adding: “Their jets flew all night in the skies, which demoralized the enemy. If it wasn’t for the NATO air support, we would not have made it.” | “Thanks too, to NATO for their air support,” he said, referring to the international coalition, adding: “Their jets flew all night in the skies, which demoralized the enemy. If it wasn’t for the NATO air support, we would not have made it.” |
| The American use of air power in Kunduz, meanwhile, was coming under increased criticism on Monday. The top American commander, Gen. John F. Campbell, acknowledged in a hastily called news conference that initial American details of an airstrike that destroyed the Doctors Without Borders hospital in that city had been wrong, but still offered no clarity about why an extended American bombardment kept raining down on the facility despite alerts from the aid group. | The American use of air power in Kunduz, meanwhile, was coming under increased criticism on Monday. The top American commander, Gen. John F. Campbell, acknowledged in a hastily called news conference that initial American details of an airstrike that destroyed the Doctors Without Borders hospital in that city had been wrong, but still offered no clarity about why an extended American bombardment kept raining down on the facility despite alerts from the aid group. |
| As families continued to try to cope with the wounded and dead in Kunduz, new progress was reported in the fight to retake the city from Taliban fighters who seized it in a matter of hours last Monday. | As families continued to try to cope with the wounded and dead in Kunduz, new progress was reported in the fight to retake the city from Taliban fighters who seized it in a matter of hours last Monday. |
| Afghan security forces on Monday raised the nation’s black, red and green flag over the governor’s house in the northern city of Kunduz for the first time in a week and appeared to have succeeded in clearing the Taliban from some neighborhoods, according to Afghan security officials and residents. | Afghan security forces on Monday raised the nation’s black, red and green flag over the governor’s house in the northern city of Kunduz for the first time in a week and appeared to have succeeded in clearing the Taliban from some neighborhoods, according to Afghan security officials and residents. |
| Hungry and thirsty residents of Kunduz began to emerge from their homes in the areas where the security forces had taken control. In some neighborhoods, people walked around taking stock of the damage from the Taliban’s weeklong occupation. | Hungry and thirsty residents of Kunduz began to emerge from their homes in the areas where the security forces had taken control. In some neighborhoods, people walked around taking stock of the damage from the Taliban’s weeklong occupation. |
| “The Afghan National Security Forces have managed to position themselves in different parts of the Kunduz City,” said Saeed Sarwar Hussaini, a spokesman for the Kunduz police. | “The Afghan National Security Forces have managed to position themselves in different parts of the Kunduz City,” said Saeed Sarwar Hussaini, a spokesman for the Kunduz police. |
| “The city is in the control of the Afghan government,” he said. “People have resumed coming out of their homes, and a number of grocery shops have also reopened.” | “The city is in the control of the Afghan government,” he said. “People have resumed coming out of their homes, and a number of grocery shops have also reopened.” |
| He said that the Taliban’s front line had vanished but added that the government could not “guarantee 100 percent that the enemy threat is eliminated.” | He said that the Taliban’s front line had vanished but added that the government could not “guarantee 100 percent that the enemy threat is eliminated.” |
| President Ashraf Ghani on Monday appointed an acting governor in Kunduz, Hamidullah Danishy, who was on hand when the Afghan flag was raised over the governor’s house. However, the Afghan forces have hoisted their flag at central points in the city at least twice in the past week only to be pushed back hours later. While this appeared to be a more significant incursion, residents said they were not sure it would last. | President Ashraf Ghani on Monday appointed an acting governor in Kunduz, Hamidullah Danishy, who was on hand when the Afghan flag was raised over the governor’s house. However, the Afghan forces have hoisted their flag at central points in the city at least twice in the past week only to be pushed back hours later. While this appeared to be a more significant incursion, residents said they were not sure it would last. |
| A half-dozen residents reached by phone described a city only partly in government control, with the Taliban continuing to fight. One resident said his relatives were looking out their front door to see which side’s flag was flying over Cinema Square, near the city’s center. | A half-dozen residents reached by phone described a city only partly in government control, with the Taliban continuing to fight. One resident said his relatives were looking out their front door to see which side’s flag was flying over Cinema Square, near the city’s center. |
| “The Afghan national security forces have made some advances in the city, although there is heavy fighting still,” said Faraidon, 35, who, like many Afghans uses only one name. He fled the city but had to leave relatives behind. | “The Afghan national security forces have made some advances in the city, although there is heavy fighting still,” said Faraidon, 35, who, like many Afghans uses only one name. He fled the city but had to leave relatives behind. |
| “My relatives told me that at Cinema Square, where they live, they can see neither Taliban nor Afghan forces,” he said. “However, because they can see the Afghan flag over the square, they think the government must control the territory.” | “My relatives told me that at Cinema Square, where they live, they can see neither Taliban nor Afghan forces,” he said. “However, because they can see the Afghan flag over the square, they think the government must control the territory.” |
| “People living in Kunduz are still fearful and waiting to see if the endless struggle will really end and they can go back to their normal life,” he said. | “People living in Kunduz are still fearful and waiting to see if the endless struggle will really end and they can go back to their normal life,” he said. |
| The Taliban managed to mount a suicide bombing in Kabul as well. Two vehicles, at least one driven by a suicide bomber, broke through the gate of a home near the Russian Embassy in southwest Kabul, and the fighters in the second vehicle rushed into the house and took up positions inside. The attack was still going on late Monday evening. | The Taliban managed to mount a suicide bombing in Kabul as well. Two vehicles, at least one driven by a suicide bomber, broke through the gate of a home near the Russian Embassy in southwest Kabul, and the fighters in the second vehicle rushed into the house and took up positions inside. The attack was still going on late Monday evening. |
| There was some confusion about who owned the house that had been attacked. Both a former governor of Helmand Province, Naeem Baluch, and a presidential adviser, Najibullah Nasery, claimed that his house had been hit. Since neither of the men were at home when the attack occurred and they live next door to each other, it seemed that they were not yet sure of the exact location. | There was some confusion about who owned the house that had been attacked. Both a former governor of Helmand Province, Naeem Baluch, and a presidential adviser, Najibullah Nasery, claimed that his house had been hit. Since neither of the men were at home when the attack occurred and they live next door to each other, it seemed that they were not yet sure of the exact location. |
| An Interior Ministry official confirmed the bombing and said that the house that was attacked was a guesthouse and that nobody was there at the time except a watchman, who escaped. | An Interior Ministry official confirmed the bombing and said that the house that was attacked was a guesthouse and that nobody was there at the time except a watchman, who escaped. |
| Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said in a Twitter post that the Taliban had conducted the attack and said the target was a branch of the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan’s intelligence agency. | Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said in a Twitter post that the Taliban had conducted the attack and said the target was a branch of the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan’s intelligence agency. |