Roundup: Taliban offensive repulsed in N. Afghanistan, gov't forces poised to launch mop up

The Taliban outfit's massive offensive in the northern Kunduz province of Afghanistan has been repulsed and the armed militants after leaving more than 50 dead bodies behind have been forced to retreat, officials said.

Police spokesman in Kunduz province, Sayed Sarwar Hussaini in talks with media on Tuesday confirmed that more than 50 armed insurgents had been killed over the past four days in different parts of Kunduz province and the outfit faced major setback in Imam Sahib district after killing their commander Mullah Mustafa by security forces there.

The Taliban militants, according to Hussaini, had launched massive offensive against government interests in Khanabad, Imam Sahib, Gortipa, Qala-e-Zal and Aliabad districts four days ago with the objective to capture Kunduz provincial capital the Kunduz city, 250 km north of Kabul.

In some places the hardliner militants had made advances, prompting central government in Kabul to send reinforcement to the troubled Kunduz, a province bordering Tajikistan.

"Ten foreign nationals including two women are also among those militants killed during the operations in parts of Kunduz province, " Hussaini told reporters.

Another official, Abdul Wasi Basil who serves as spokesman for Kunduz provincial government in talks with reporters confirmed that eight government security personnel had been killed and 10 others sustained injuries over the past four days of fighting.

Meanwhile, Afghan Interior Ministry in a statement released here Tuesday reported killing 28 Taliban fighters including a key commander namely Mullah Mustafa during operations in Imam Sahib district, Monday night.

"Mullah Mustafa, a Taliban key commander along with 27 of his armed men was killed following government forces' strike in Imam Sahib district last night," the statement stressed.

The statement didn't say if there were casualties on security personnel.

Meantime, provincial government spokesman, Abdul Wasi Basil in talks with media confirmed that three policemen had been killed and three others injured during conflicts in Imam Sahib district.

The clashes in Kunduz has forced hundreds of families to leave their houses for safer places over the past four days, according to local media reports.

Government forces have been massing in Kunduz to launch decisive operations against fighting militants in the war-plagued Kunduz province.

"The government forces would soon launch counter attack and Kunduz won't fall," Presidential envoy on reforms and good governance, Ahmad Zia Masoud told people in Kunduz while inspecting the situation there. Endi