Roundup: Clashes continue in Afghan besieged Kunduz city, residents suffer the most

Sporadic clashes between security forces and Taliban militants resumed Wednesday in embattled northern Afghan city of Kunduz, causing a devastating impact on civilians who have been left without basic services, food or potable water.

Early Monday, the Taliban launched coordinated attacks and took positions in residential houses and buildings in the city, which is the capital of the Kunduz province, 250 km north of Afghan capital of Kabul, triggering fierce clashes with the security forces.

Most of the streets remained deserted Wednesday as sporadic gun battles were continuing and the government forces backed by helicopter gunships have been targeting Taliban positions, according to witnesses.

"The counter-offensive is continuing. The security forces cleared several locations, including Police District First and Third, Bandar-e-Kabul neighborhood and parts of Sehdara locality on Wednesday. The troops are moving carefully to avoid civilian casualties as militants are using private properties and houses as bunkers and they are using snipers to target security forces," a police spokesman at the region, Mahfuzullah Akbari, told Xinhua.

The counter-operation may need longer time as the militants are using civilians as human shields, spokesman Akbari said.

"Kunduz was famous as the breadbasket of Afghanistan in the past, before conflicts and droughts. Nowadays, most of the residents have been suffering from shortage of food and water after fighting broke out. The price of one piece of bread has risen from 10 afghanis to 50 afghanis," resident Mohammad Basir told Xinhua via phone.

"We do not have access to portable water, the electricity is not stable and we cannot go out for shopping. The shops remained shutdown Wednesday. The city residents are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance," the resident added.

"Some 17 enemies were killed inside Kunduz city and 22 others were killed after army's airpower struck Taliban positions in several strategic locations on the outskirts of Kunduz city within the last 24 hours," the Afghan Defense Ministry said in a written statement earlier on Wednesday.

The statement said that 27 militants were also wounded as a result of the above clashes and air raids.

According to local health officials, at least three civilians have been killed and nearly 100 others wounded since the fighting broke out in the city with a population of about 180,000.

The militants set on fire several buildings and security checkpoints, including a carpet market and a number of government office buildings in Kunduz city in addition to capturing security forces' vehicles on Tuesday.

Several hundred residents stayed Tuesday night in open areas in Sehdara in fears of airstrikes and shelling, according to Basir.

At least one dozen security forces members were also killed in Kunduz clashes over the past three days. The defense ministry statement has also confirmed the loss of 13 army soldiers in separate attacks across the country since early Tuesday.

Kunduz city was briefly captured by Taliban in September last year, leaving several people killed and over 2,000 civilians and security forces injured.

The Taliban also stormed several districts in southern Uruzgan, Helmand and neighboring Farah provinces within the last couple of days.

They seized the control of two districts in southern Helmand province, which is regarded as hotbed of Taliban.

The Taliban have been on the rampage since mid April when they launched their so-called annual spring offensive in different places in Afghanistan, including capital Kabul, killing and injuring hundreds.

More than 1,600 civilians were killed and over 3,560 injured in the first half of the year as the violence spread in different places of the country, according to a report by the UN mission in Afghanistan released on July 25.

The clashes in Kunduz came as an international conference was held earlier on Wednesday in Brussels, Belgium, with development and economy of the war-hit country on top of its agenda. Endit