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| Afghan City Survives Third Taliban Assault, but Loses a Top Defender | Afghan City Survives Third Taliban Assault, but Loses a Top Defender |
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| KUNDUZ, Afghanistan — The first two times the Taliban overran the city of Kunduz, Col. Sayed Sarwar Hussaini survived the carnage, just as he had many attacks and suicide bombings before. | KUNDUZ, Afghanistan — The first two times the Taliban overran the city of Kunduz, Col. Sayed Sarwar Hussaini survived the carnage, just as he had many attacks and suicide bombings before. |
| As the spokesman for the local police, his job was essential: The long Afghan war is increasingly fought as much on social media pages and television screens as it is on the battlefield. Colonel Hussaini, 36, would spar with the Taliban, telling a radio station that all was fine, promising a television channel that Afghan forces had repelled an assault. | As the spokesman for the local police, his job was essential: The long Afghan war is increasingly fought as much on social media pages and television screens as it is on the battlefield. Colonel Hussaini, 36, would spar with the Taliban, telling a radio station that all was fine, promising a television channel that Afghan forces had repelled an assault. |
| On Saturday, the Taliban came for the northern city for the third time in four years, launching a pre-dawn offensive even as they continued peace talks with American diplomats. Their advances were largely stemmed by the end of the day, as Afghan commandos flooded Kunduz and airstrikes hit Taliban positions. | On Saturday, the Taliban came for the northern city for the third time in four years, launching a pre-dawn offensive even as they continued peace talks with American diplomats. Their advances were largely stemmed by the end of the day, as Afghan commandos flooded Kunduz and airstrikes hit Taliban positions. |
| But as night fell over the battered city, Colonel Hussaini was not so lucky. He was among the roughly 30 dead on the government side, most of them security forces. At least 36 Taliban fighters were also killed, Afghan officials said. | |
| Colonel Hussaini’s death was emblematic of both the sacrifices made by an Afghan force that has lost 50,000 people in the past five years alone and of the political calculation with which the Taliban have waged their violence. | Colonel Hussaini’s death was emblematic of both the sacrifices made by an Afghan force that has lost 50,000 people in the past five years alone and of the political calculation with which the Taliban have waged their violence. |
| Just like the assaults on the city in 2015 and 2016, Saturday’s attack began in darkness. By dawn, residents reported heavy fighting in several neighborhoods. The streets were largely deserted. | Just like the assaults on the city in 2015 and 2016, Saturday’s attack began in darkness. By dawn, residents reported heavy fighting in several neighborhoods. The streets were largely deserted. |
| Rohullah Ahmadzai, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, said hundreds of Taliban had attacked Kunduz from three directions. | |
| “Our forces are moving with caution in their operations,” he said, “so they don’t cause civilian casualties.” | |
| Kunduz residents, surprised by the attacks, rushed to stock food and essentials. | Kunduz residents, surprised by the attacks, rushed to stock food and essentials. |
| “With each rocket, our windows would shake,” said Rahmatullah Rahimi, 52, who sells firewood. “Neither I nor our neighbors have slept all night. How can you sleep with the sound of fighting? We are trying to see whether we should flee or stay.” | “With each rocket, our windows would shake,” said Rahmatullah Rahimi, 52, who sells firewood. “Neither I nor our neighbors have slept all night. How can you sleep with the sound of fighting? We are trying to see whether we should flee or stay.” |
| Security officials acknowledged that the Taliban had overrun several outposts. But it quickly became clear that the fight would be as much for the headlines, with both sides trying to flood the media with images in a bid to gain leverage in the peace talks. | |
| The Taliban posted a video of a small group of Afghan police officials surrendering early in the day, a clear attempt to sow panic. In the video, the insurgents call out to the officers, holed up in an outpost across the street, as gunshots are heard in the background. The officers slowly emerge and hand over their weapons. | The Taliban posted a video of a small group of Afghan police officials surrendering early in the day, a clear attempt to sow panic. In the video, the insurgents call out to the officers, holed up in an outpost across the street, as gunshots are heard in the background. The officers slowly emerge and hand over their weapons. |
| In response, the Afghan government put out videos of the provincial police chief, Col. Manzor Stanekzai, leading commando forces on the streets as heavy fighting is heard in the background. Government Twitter and Facebook accounts promoted Taliban casualties in back-to-back airstrikes. The operation was largely Afghan, but the United States military provided support. | In response, the Afghan government put out videos of the provincial police chief, Col. Manzor Stanekzai, leading commando forces on the streets as heavy fighting is heard in the background. Government Twitter and Facebook accounts promoted Taliban casualties in back-to-back airstrikes. The operation was largely Afghan, but the United States military provided support. |
| In the two earlier instances in which the Taliban swept into Kunduz city, Afghan forces relied heavily on airstrikes. During the first assault, in October 2015, American planes struck a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials, M.S.F., killing at least 42 people. | In the two earlier instances in which the Taliban swept into Kunduz city, Afghan forces relied heavily on airstrikes. During the first assault, in October 2015, American planes struck a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials, M.S.F., killing at least 42 people. |
| The violence is intensifying at a critical time, as Taliban officials and American negotiators continue marathon talks in Doha, the Qatari capital, on a preliminary peace deal. | The violence is intensifying at a critical time, as Taliban officials and American negotiators continue marathon talks in Doha, the Qatari capital, on a preliminary peace deal. |
| The deal is expected to set a timeline for the withdrawal of the remaining American and NATO forces in the country, and to open the path for direct negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government over the country’s political future. | The deal is expected to set a timeline for the withdrawal of the remaining American and NATO forces in the country, and to open the path for direct negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government over the country’s political future. |
| “I raised the Kunduz attack in talks today, telling the Taliban that violence like this must stop,” Zalmay Khalilzad, the American special envoy leading the peace efforts, said on Twitter. | “I raised the Kunduz attack in talks today, telling the Taliban that violence like this must stop,” Zalmay Khalilzad, the American special envoy leading the peace efforts, said on Twitter. |
| Later in Doha, Mr. Khalilzad said he had wrapped up the latest round of talks with the Taliban and the two sides were on “the threshold of an agreement.” What was likely holding back an announcement of a final deal was for him to travel to Kabul to brief the Afghan leaders. | |
| Earlier in Kunduz, the Afghan ministers of interior and defense as well as the top American commander, Gen. Austin S. Miller, arrived in the city in an effort to boost morale. | |
| “We are here to show that we will not let anyone overrun the city,” said Assadullah Khaled, the Afghan defense minister. | “We are here to show that we will not let anyone overrun the city,” said Assadullah Khaled, the Afghan defense minister. |
| For much of the day, that work of projecting strength had fallen on Colonel Hussaini. He had emerged from the previous two sieges of Kunduz with a reputation for deft crisis communication. For a couple of years, he had served in a different job farther north, only to return to Kunduz, his hometown, over the summer. | For much of the day, that work of projecting strength had fallen on Colonel Hussaini. He had emerged from the previous two sieges of Kunduz with a reputation for deft crisis communication. For a couple of years, he had served in a different job farther north, only to return to Kunduz, his hometown, over the summer. |
| Repeatedly during the day, Colonel Hussaini gave televised updates from the city’s main roundabout, assuring viewers that Afghan forces were in control. In the previous assaults on the city, the roundabout had become the symbol of control — the last point of resistance before the Taliban raised their flag. | Repeatedly during the day, Colonel Hussaini gave televised updates from the city’s main roundabout, assuring viewers that Afghan forces were in control. In the previous assaults on the city, the roundabout had become the symbol of control — the last point of resistance before the Taliban raised their flag. |
| Soon after the visiting Afghan and American security leaders left the city, Colonel Hussaini told a friend that the Taliban had spread a rumor that they had captured the roundabout. He wanted to return to the spot to dispel such talk, though it was decided that the message should come directly from the police chief, Colonel Stanekzai. | Soon after the visiting Afghan and American security leaders left the city, Colonel Hussaini told a friend that the Taliban had spread a rumor that they had captured the roundabout. He wanted to return to the spot to dispel such talk, though it was decided that the message should come directly from the police chief, Colonel Stanekzai. |
| The two colonels and more than a dozen other officers — many of them part of the local security leadership — made their way to roundabout. Colonel Stanekzai had positioned himself in front of the cameras for his message of assurance when, officials said, a suicide bomber on foot walked through a cordon and detonated explosives. Bodies were scattered all around. | The two colonels and more than a dozen other officers — many of them part of the local security leadership — made their way to roundabout. Colonel Stanekzai had positioned himself in front of the cameras for his message of assurance when, officials said, a suicide bomber on foot walked through a cordon and detonated explosives. Bodies were scattered all around. |
| Colonel Hussaini, a father of four, was among at least a dozen killed in the explosion, four Afghan officials confirmed. Whether Colonel Stanekzai was wounded or killed was not immediately clear. | Colonel Hussaini, a father of four, was among at least a dozen killed in the explosion, four Afghan officials confirmed. Whether Colonel Stanekzai was wounded or killed was not immediately clear. |
| As night fell on another violent day in Kunduz, Afghan officials said they were confident they had repelled the Taliban assault. Still, Taliban fighters lurked on the edges of the city — without its chief defender on the streets, and its chief defender online and on the broadcast waves. | As night fell on another violent day in Kunduz, Afghan officials said they were confident they had repelled the Taliban assault. Still, Taliban fighters lurked on the edges of the city — without its chief defender on the streets, and its chief defender online and on the broadcast waves. |