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Taliban widening operations as Afghan gov't launches counter-offensive to recapture Kunduz

Xinhua, September 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

Amid Afghan government's desperate efforts to regain the northern Kunduz city, Taliban militants in the second day of capturing Kunduz city have opened a few more fronts in Kunduz's neighboring Takhar and Baghlan provinces.

The Taliban militants, according to local media reports, have attacked police checkpoints in Yangi district of the northern Takhar province early Tuesday and sporadic fighting is still continuing.

Meantime, locals said that the Taliban insurgents have also attacked security checkpoints in Khawjaghar and Ashkamish districts of Takhar province Tuesday morning.

Taliban militants in a surprise attack captured major parts of Kunduz city 250 km north of the national capital Kabul on Monday.

However, government forces started counter-offensive Tuesday morning to recapture Kunduz city, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said at the press conference here Tuesday.

"I have instructed security officials not to harm civilians during military operations," the president said.

He, however, added that the ground forces have inflicted huge casualties on the enemies.

President Ghani also stated that "The cruel enemies are using civilians as human shield."

Afghan government, besides dispatching reinforcement via air to Kunduz, has also sent troops via road from neighboring Baghlan province.

Spokesman for Baghlan police, Zabihullah Shuja, told reporters that the Taliban fighters have blocked the road linking Baghlan to Kunduz and do not allow security forces to cross the area.

Tuesday is the second day that the Taliban are in control of the major parts of Kunduz city.

Political watchers, however, believe if the government fails to recapture Kunduz city within days, the militants would influence and destabilize neighboring Baghlan and Takhar provinces.

Moreover, Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor in an online statement described capturing Kunduz city as a major victory and congratulated to all his fighters and Afghans.

Taliban leader in the statement called upon his fighters to protect the lives and properties of civilians and public institutions.

However, locals have reported extra-judicial killing of people, looting banks, shops, public and private properties since entering Taliban fighters in Kunduz city on Monday. Endi