Roundup: Taliban attempts to overrun Kunduz city thwarted as militants lost grounds

Taliban multi-pronged offensives to overrun the strategically import Kunduz city 250 km north of Kabul has been foiled as the militants after suffering casualties and losing grounds to the government forces retreated to their former trenches in rural areas, officials said on Wednesday.

Some 100 armed insurgents, according to the security officials, have been killed and about 80 others injured over the past two weeks.

Taliban militants have captured Khan Abad and Qala-e-Zal districts besides gaining grounds along the highways linking Kunduz to the neighboring Baghlan and Takhar provinces over the past 14 days but have lost to government forces.

"The government forces have regained the control of Khan Abad and Qala-e-Zal districts," Kunduz provincial governor Assadullah Omarkhil told reporters here on Wednesday.

According to governor Omarkhil, up to 30 insurgents have been killed over the past 24 hours and several others injured.

Flanked by Kunduz police chief Mohammad Qasim Jangalbagh, the governor contended that the Taliban militants have lost their morale after losing some 100 fighters including several commanders on battle grounds over the past two weeks.

Only 15 security personnel have been killed and some 10 others sustained injuries in counter-militancy operations over the period, according to officials.

Confirming the governor's remarks on the situation, Kunduz police chief Jangalbagh told reporters that the government forces have been chasing fleeing Taliban and besides recapturing Khan Abad and Qala-e-Zal districts, the government forces have also cleared Alchin and Shir Khan port from the insurgents.

All the roads linking Kunduz to Baghlan and Takhar provinces are open, the officials asserted, adding cleanup operations would last until all parts of Kunduz is cleansed of militants.

Taliban militants who have previously shared their achievements with media outlets are salient over the past two days.

It would prove a catastrophe for the government if the Taliban outfit were able to keep control on highways linking Kunduz to Baghlan and Takhar provinces, local observers believe. Endit