Taliban launches major assault on Kunduz, Afghanistan

Taliban fighters have mounted a four-pronged assault on the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, a senior city police official said.

Sheer Ali Kamal, a police commander in Kunduz, said the attack began at around midnight (8:30pm CET on Sunday) and fighting was still going on in and around the city.

“We are putting all our efforts together to push them back,” he said.

Kunduz fell briefly to the Taliban a year ago, has seen repeated bouts of heavy fighting as the insurgents have sought to retake control of the area, the Guardian reported. 

“A massive operation started on Kunduz capital from four directions early this morning,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in his official Twitter account.

Taliban have reportedly stepped up operations in different parts of Afghanistan, including the strategic southern province of Helmand, where they have been threatening the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.

The fall of Kunduz last year was one of the most serious blows suffered by the western-backed government in Kabul since the withdrawal of most international troops at the end of 2014.