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Taliban Claim to Have Taken Ghazni, Significant Afghan City Taliban Launch Assault on Ghazni, a Key Afghan City
(about 2 hours later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban insurgents entered the southeastern Afghan city of Ghazni before dawn on Friday, and within hours they claimed to have much of the provincial capital under their control. If confirmed, the rout would be the insurgents’ most important strategic gain in years.KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban insurgents entered the southeastern Afghan city of Ghazni before dawn on Friday, and within hours they claimed to have much of the provincial capital under their control. If confirmed, the rout would be the insurgents’ most important strategic gain in years.
Government officials denied the city had fallen, but they conceded that the insurgents were within 300 yards of the governor’s office and police headquarters.Government officials denied the city had fallen, but they conceded that the insurgents were within 300 yards of the governor’s office and police headquarters.
“Fighting is ongoing but the whole city has not been taken by the Taliban,” Mohammad Arif Noori, the spokesman for Ghazni’s governor, said by telephone. “We will not allow them to take the city.”“Fighting is ongoing but the whole city has not been taken by the Taliban,” Mohammad Arif Noori, the spokesman for Ghazni’s governor, said by telephone. “We will not allow them to take the city.”
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, said on Twitter that the insurgents had infiltrated every part of the city. “Hundreds of Mujahedeen entered the city, captured the police headquarters and all six police districts and an important military base, Bala Hesar,” Mr. Mujahid said in an emailed statement.Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, said on Twitter that the insurgents had infiltrated every part of the city. “Hundreds of Mujahedeen entered the city, captured the police headquarters and all six police districts and an important military base, Bala Hesar,” Mr. Mujahid said in an emailed statement.
“Attacks are underway on the governor’s office, the N.D.S. headquarters and other government offices,” he said, using the acronym for the National Directorate for Security, the Afghan intelligence agency.“Attacks are underway on the governor’s office, the N.D.S. headquarters and other government offices,” he said, using the acronym for the National Directorate for Security, the Afghan intelligence agency.
Even as Afghan officials claimed they had largely repelled the Taliban attack, residents reached by telephone in several neighborhoods said that heavy fighting was ongoing around them.
“Taliban are fighting with their whole power, they brought fighters from as many districts and provinces as they could,” said one resident, Nasir Ahmad Faqiri. “There are Taliban militants in all roads and streets of the city, but they are facing strong resistance from government forces.”
The Ghazni attack was the second determined assault on an Afghan city this year. In May, insurgents overran the western city of Farah, but they left a day later amid counterattacks from the Afghan government and American airstrikes.The Ghazni attack was the second determined assault on an Afghan city this year. In May, insurgents overran the western city of Farah, but they left a day later amid counterattacks from the Afghan government and American airstrikes.
The only other Afghan city to have fallen to the Taliban was Kunduz, in the far north, which insurgents briefly occupied twice, in 2015 and 2016. Neither Farah nor Kunduz were as strategically important as Ghazni. The only other Afghan city to have fallen to the Taliban was Kunduz, in the far north, which insurgents briefly occupied twice, in 2015 and 2016. Neither Farah nor Kunduz were as strategically important as Ghazni, the capital of Ghazni Province.
Ghazni, a city of 150,000 and the capital of Ghazni Province, sits on the ring road, the important north-south highway connecting Kabul and Kandahar. Travelers in Kandahar on Friday reported being turned back because the insurgents had blocked the highway. If the Taliban took Ghazni and held it, they would essentially have cut off the south from the north. Ghazni, which the Afghan government says has a population of 280,000, sits on the ring road, also called Highway 1, the important north-south route between Kabul, the capital, and Kandahar, the country’s second-largest city. Travelers in Kandahar on Friday reported being turned back because the insurgents had blocked the highway.
Mr. Mujahid said the insurgents had closed the ring road to prevent reinforcements from reaching Ghazni. The American military said it had sent helicopters to support Afghan troops in Ghazni, and that it had carried out one airstrike, using a drone.
Afghan forces “held their ground and maintain control of all government centers,” said Lt. Col. Martin L. O’Donnell, a spokesman for the American military in Afghanistan. “This is yet another failed Taliban attempt to seize terrain, which will result in yet another eye-catching but strategically inconsequential headline.”
If the Taliban took Ghazni and held it, they would essentially have cut off the traditional Taliban homelands in the south from northern Afghanistan and the capital. Mr. Mujahid said the insurgents had closed the ring road to prevent reinforcements from reaching Ghazni.
Brig. Gen. Mohammad Radmanish, the spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, denied Ghazni was under any serious threat. “It is just propaganda by the Taliban. The whole city is under the control of Afghan forces,” he said, adding that not a single Afghan soldier had been killed in the fighting.Brig. Gen. Mohammad Radmanish, the spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, denied Ghazni was under any serious threat. “It is just propaganda by the Taliban. The whole city is under the control of Afghan forces,” he said, adding that not a single Afghan soldier had been killed in the fighting.
Many areas of Ghazni Province have been heavily contested by the insurgents in recent years, but this is the first serious attempt to take the provincial capital. Many areas of Ghazni Province have been heavily contested by the insurgents in recent years, but this was the first serious attempt to take the provincial capital.
Mr. Noori, the governor’s spokesman, said that one policeman had been killed and seven other officers had been wounded. Reinforcements began arriving in the city on Friday, but the government was hampered in carrying out airstrikes because the insurgents were operating in civilian neighborhoods.Mr. Noori, the governor’s spokesman, said that one policeman had been killed and seven other officers had been wounded. Reinforcements began arriving in the city on Friday, but the government was hampered in carrying out airstrikes because the insurgents were operating in civilian neighborhoods.
“Commando forces are responding to the Taliban attack but we are not carrying out airstrikes to prevent civilian casualties,” Mr. Noori said. He accused the Taliban of using the civilian population as human shields. Eight civilians had been wounded so far, he said.“Commando forces are responding to the Taliban attack but we are not carrying out airstrikes to prevent civilian casualties,” Mr. Noori said. He accused the Taliban of using the civilian population as human shields. Eight civilians had been wounded so far, he said.
A New York Times reporter who visited Ghazni in May found residents complaining that many Taliban insurgents were already inside the city, and even collecting taxes from residents. Many expressed concern that the city would soon be attacked.