Earlier in the day, provincial police spokesman, Colonel Saed Sarwar Hussaini, told Anadolu Agency at least 20 militants were killed, adding that reinforcements of police and army, backed by the Afghan Air Force, had been sent to Kunduz province, located a few 250 kilometers north of Kabul.
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Despite reports in the Afghan media, the claim of Kunduz falling completely into the hands of the Taliban is yet to be confirmed by the Afghan government and official institutions.
The provincial capital has been under attack from Taliban militants for months, so that the early morning advance was so thoroughly successful, in a matter of hours, came as a surprise to Kabul and its Western allies.
One local resident, who spoke of condition of anonymity, also said the United Nations compound was being evacuated.
In a statement issued today (Monday), Amnesty said: “The Taliban and Afghan security forces must ensure that civilians are protected in accordance with worldwide law and that nobody is targeted in reprisals against their work”.
“The militants are close to the four entrance gates of Kunduz”.
The Islamist fighters have captured a 200-bed hospital and several government buildings, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a post on Twitter. Kunduz fell November. 26, 2001, becoming the last major city in Afghanistan to be ripped from the Taliban’s control after the September 11 attacks prompted the US invasion. “Strategic areas, including the airport, are controlled by Afghan security forces”, he said.
Afghan forces have been largely on their own since the US and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation concluded their combat mission at the end of a year ago, shifting to a training and advising capacity.
NPR’s Phillip Reeves speaking on All Things Considered Monday said the attack is being seen as a “major test” for the Afghan government who is mounting a response.
Afghan Ministry of Interior is expected to hold a press briefing on the development in Kunduz city.
The USA military, which continues to fly warplanes and drones over Afghanistan, did not conduct any airstrikes near Kunduz on Monday, a spokeswoman for the military coalition here said.
[Taliban storm northern city of Kunduz in major blow for security forces].
Heavy clashes have also been reported in northeastern Takhar province of Afghanistan following a major offensive by the Taliban militants in the neighboring Kunduz province.
The strategy for this year’s offensive appears to have been to force government troops to spread resources around the country as the Taliban take control of remote rural districts, even if only temporarily.
But government officials denied the reports, and said they are battling the insurgents on the city’s outskirts.
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Sediqqi said there were many worldwide terrorists in Kunduz, an apparent reference to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a group linked to Al Qaeda that is known to fight alongside the Taliban.
