Afghan officials say government retakes Kunduz; Taliban denies

[Zarvan]

Afghan officials said government troops recaptured much of the strategic northern city of Kunduz from Taliban insurgents early on Thursday, three days after losing the provincial capital in an embarrassing defeat for Kabul and its U.S. allies.

Details of the overnight counter-offensive were still emerging, and it was not immediately clear which areas of the city of 300,000 were back under government control.

A Taliban spokesman denied the government had retaken Kunduz, saying insurgent fighters were still resisting government forces in the center and controlled most of the rest of the city.

Afghan forces, backed by U.S. air strikes, have been struggling for two days to retake the city after it became the first provincial capital to fall to the Taliban since 2001.

"Afghan security forces got control of Kunduz city from Taliban overnight after heavy fighting," Hamdullah Danishi, acting governor of Kunduz province, told Reuters by telephone.

"After we got reinforcements and started a massive operation inside Kunduz city, the Taliban could not resist and escaped. We will give a full report soon," he added.



TALIBAN DENY

Dawlat Waziri, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, said the counter-offensive started at 11 p.m. on Wednesday and finished at 4 a.m. Thursday.

"Right now, the Taliban have left Kunduz city. A clearance operation is ongoing," Waziri said.

However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, said the fighting was continuing.

"Enemy claims regarding the Kunduz situation are not true. Mujahedeen (Taliban fighters) are resisting in the city’s security circle," Mujahid said, adding the Taliban still controlled most of the city and surrounding districts.

"American forces are also involved in this fight but we are still defending."

It could not immediately be confirmed what role foreign forces played in the overnight offensive, but, according to a coalition spokesman, an undisclosed number of U.S. and allied troops were sent to Kunduz earlier in the week to "advise and assist" Afghan allies.

On Wednesday, a group of coalition special forces, including U.S. troops, engaged the Taliban in a ground clash, said the spokesman, Col. Brian Tribus.

At least five U.S. air strikes have targeted Taliban positions near the city since the fighting broke out on Monday.

There were no immediate details about civilian casualties during the new offensive.

The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan with a harsh interpretation of Islamic sharia law for five years, have been fighting to re-establish their Islamist rule after being toppled from power by a U.S.-led intervention in 2001.

On Monday, the insurgents' pre-dawn assault on Kunduz from four directions caught Afghan police and army by surprise, handing the Taliban a public relations coup and arguably their largest victory in nearly 14 years of war.

Almost the entire city had fallen into Taliban hands by nightfall, with government officials and forces retreating to the airport outside the city.



FIERCE STRUGGLE

The city's capture by the Taliban was a blow to the narrative that the NATO-trained Afghan police and army were steadily improving and able to prevent the Taliban from taking over and holding significant territory.

Training the 350,000 strong Afghan National Security Forces has been the heart of the U.S. plan to end involvement in its longest war. American and allied forces official ended their combat role at the end of last year, leaving behind a training and advising force of several thousand.

While the government's recapture of Kunduz had been expected, the police and army struggled for two days even as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani tried to assure citizens that the situation was under control.

The Taliban mined roads to Kunduz to block reinforcements arriving and launched an assault on the airport where some 5,000 government officials and troops were based.

Late on Wednesday, Afghan reinforcements broke through the Taliban defenses and reached the airport to prepare the ground for Thursday's counter-offensive.

Afghan Deputy interior Ministry Mohammad Ayub Salangi praised the recapture on his Facebook page.

"I want to congratulate the terrorist defeat in Kunduz to the great nation of Afghanistan and our international allies."



(Additional reporting by Krista Mahr in NEW DELHI, Writing by Kay Johnson, Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Afghan officials say government retakes Kunduz; Taliban denies| Reuters

 

[CHD]

Afghanistan cant survive, break the country among different ethnic groups so that it can be administered

 

[A-Team]

Afghanistan cant survive, break the country among different ethnic groups so that it can be administered

What have you been smoking ? The country with 5000 years old history dont need a lesson from a chap who is sitting in the states.

 

[GR!FF!N]

Afghanistan cant survive, break the country among different ethnic groups so that it can be administered

and who are you to state this??

 

[A-Team]

and who are you to state this??

Another troll, probably a teenager who gets high playing computer games

 

[CHD]

Another troll, probably a teenager who gets high playing computer games

Do you have the capability do govern whole country, One of your major cities was taken by thugs and you have to call foriegn forces to take it back.

 

[killer elite]

Do you have the capability do govern whole country, One of your major cities was taken by thugs and you have to call foriegn forces to take it back.

before 2005. FATA, Baluchistan and waziristan were under the control of militants...with the help of ISAF Pakistan was able to regain control of it. just like that Afghanistan will defeat taliban.

 

[The Vicious Kind]

before 2005. FATA, Baluchistan and waziristan were under the control of militants...with the help of ISAF Pakistan was able to regain control of it. just like that Afghanistan will defeat taliban.

What ISAF ? isaf was in Central Afghanistan . They never entered Pakistan , nor did they help us in any of our Ops .Infact , the lack or coordination between the two is the reason Ops got delayed.TTP didnt even exist before december 2007. Infact , the only time they enter Pak territory was when they attack our troops at Salala checkpost. Drones were never targeting militants that we wanted to take out . It is only after 2011 that they started listening to pakistan,

 

[A-Team]

Afghan officials said government troops recaptured much of the strategic northern city of Kunduz from Taliban insurgents early on Thursday, three days after losing the provincial capital in an embarrassing defeat for Kabul and its U.S. allies.

Details of the overnight counter-offensive were still emerging, and it was not immediately clear which areas of the city of 300,000 were back under government control.

A Taliban spokesman denied the government had retaken Kunduz, saying insurgent fighters were still resisting government forces in the center and controlled most of the rest of the city.

Afghan forces, backed by U.S. air strikes, have been struggling for two days to retake the city after it became the first provincial capital to fall to the Taliban since 2001.

"Afghan security forces got control of Kunduz city from Taliban overnight after heavy fighting," Hamdullah Danishi, acting governor of Kunduz province, told Reuters by telephone.

"After we got reinforcements and started a massive operation inside Kunduz city, the Taliban could not resist and escaped. We will give a full report soon," he added.



TALIBAN DENY

Dawlat Waziri, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, said the counter-offensive started at 11 p.m. on Wednesday and finished at 4 a.m. Thursday.

"Right now, the Taliban have left Kunduz city. A clearance operation is ongoing," Waziri said.

However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, said the fighting was continuing.

"Enemy claims regarding the Kunduz situation are not true. Mujahedeen (Taliban fighters) are resisting in the city’s security circle," Mujahid said, adding the Taliban still controlled most of the city and surrounding districts.

"American forces are also involved in this fight but we are still defending."

It could not immediately be confirmed what role foreign forces played in the overnight offensive, but, according to a coalition spokesman, an undisclosed number of U.S. and allied troops were sent to Kunduz earlier in the week to "advise and assist" Afghan allies.

On Wednesday, a group of coalition special forces, including U.S. troops, engaged the Taliban in a ground clash, said the spokesman, Col. Brian Tribus.

At least five U.S. air strikes have targeted Taliban positions near the city since the fighting broke out on Monday.

There were no immediate details about civilian casualties during the new offensive.

The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan with a harsh interpretation of Islamic sharia law for five years, have been fighting to re-establish their Islamist rule after being toppled from power by a U.S.-led intervention in 2001.

On Monday, the insurgents' pre-dawn assault on Kunduz from four directions caught Afghan police and army by surprise, handing the Taliban a public relations coup and arguably their largest victory in nearly 14 years of war.

Almost the entire city had fallen into Taliban hands by nightfall, with government officials and forces retreating to the airport outside the city.



FIERCE STRUGGLE

The city's capture by the Taliban was a blow to the narrative that the NATO-trained Afghan police and army were steadily improving and able to prevent the Taliban from taking over and holding significant territory.

Training the 350,000 strong Afghan National Security Forces has been the heart of the U.S. plan to end involvement in its longest war. American and allied forces official ended their combat role at the end of last year, leaving behind a training and advising force of several thousand.

While the government's recapture of Kunduz had been expected, the police and army struggled for two days even as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani tried to assure citizens that the situation was under control.

The Taliban mined roads to Kunduz to block reinforcements arriving and launched an assault on the airport where some 5,000 government officials and troops were based.

Late on Wednesday, Afghan reinforcements broke through the Taliban defenses and reached the airport to prepare the ground for Thursday's counter-offensive.

Afghan Deputy interior Ministry Mohammad Ayub Salangi praised the recapture on his Facebook page.

"I want to congratulate the terrorist defeat in Kunduz to the great nation of Afghanistan and our international allies."



(Additional reporting by Krista Mahr in NEW DELHI, Writing by Kay Johnson, Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Afghan officials say government retakes Kunduz; Taliban denies| Reuters

Admit it my friend, you do have a soft corner for the Talis but its all over the Talis have 250 + dead, the streets of Kunduz is littered with them. You can mourn their dead if you wish.

PS : I wonder which country will you run away to when the Talis start venturing into Pakistan after getting a hold of Afghanistan, Iran ? India I doubt they will welcome a Tali apologist, so becarful what you wish for. I may sound like a troll now but this is the reality, have you forgotten what they did to the poor chap ex-ISI colonel Imam, he also thought you can befriend snakes but he paid with his life, there is a lesson for you right there.

 

[Zarvan]

Admit it my friend, you do have a soft corner for the Talis but its all over the Talis have 250 + dead, the streets of Kunduz is littered with them. You can mourn their dead if you wish.

PS : I wonder which country will you run away to when the Talis start venturing into Pakistan after getting a hold of Afghanistan, Iran ? India I doubt they will welcome a Tali apologist, so becarful what you wish for. I may sound like a troll now but this is the reality, have you forgotten what they did to the poor chap ex-ISI colonel Imam, he also thought you can befriend snakes but he paid with his life, there is a lesson for you right there.

You and your dreams I hate TTP as far as Afghan Taliban are concerbed they are local struggle against USA and NATO occupation, this is not my stand but stand of our Government and establishment. As far as your so called victory is concerned you have been so victorious that Taliban movement which used to be mostly limited to south has spread all across the country. 4000 ANA guys run away every month corruption is massive. As for TTP killing Colnol Imam those were killed by TTP and TTP are not ones we trained ever those completely ignorant about who actually TTP is think that way which they are way wrong. TTP are paid pet dogs of RAW and MOSSAD with some help from NDS.

 

[I.R.A]

Admit it my friend, you do have a soft corner for the Talis but its all over the Talis have 250 + dead, the streets of Kunduz is littered with them. You can mourn their dead if you wish.

PS : I wonder which country will you run away to when the Talis start venturing into Pakistan after getting a hold of Afghanistan, Iran ? India I doubt they will welcome a Tali apologist, so becarful what you wish for. I may sound like a troll now but this is the reality, have you forgotten what they did to the poor chap ex-ISI colonel Imam, he also thought you can befriend snakes but he paid with his life, there is a lesson for you right there.

Seriously man. You can still ask for Pakistan's help I am sure State of Pakistan will gladly help you out with the mess you have created. Most of your post seems like result of food poisoning from Indian food that you may have enjoyed in an Indian wedding

 

[killer elite]

What ISAF ? isaf was in Central Afghanistan . They never entered Pakistan , nor did they help us in any of our Ops .Infact , the lack or coordination between the two is the reason Ops got delayed.TTP didnt even exist before december 2007. Infact , the only time they enter Pak territory was when they attack our troops at Salala checkpost. Drones were never targeting militants that we wanted to take out . It is only after 2011 that they started listening to pakistan,

ISAF was in entair Afghanistan not only in central afghanistan.




It was not only TTP.. it was taliban and Al-Qaeda who was in control of western side of pakistan. mainly Waziristan. pakistan army's fight in those region starts in 2003-2004. the actual war starts in 2003 with your SSGN start monitoring center in FATA in 2002.

drone attcks in pakistan by US started in 2004. US want to target Al-qaeda, who pakistan considered as good terrorists. remember Kunduz airlift?? so US didn't trust Pakistanis. they they don't care what pakistan want to say.

US special forces conducting operations inside pakistan is no secret.

The (Not So) Secret U.S. War in Pakistan - CBS News
The Secret US War in Pakistan | The Nation

 

[A-Team]

You and your dreams I hate TTP as far as Afghan Taliban are concerbed they are local struggle against USA and NATO occupation, this is not my stand but stand of our Government and establishment. As far as your so called victory is concerned you have been so victorious that Taliban movement which used to be mostly limited to south has spread all across the country. 4000 ANA guys run away every month corruption is massive. As for TTP killing Colnol Imam those were killed by TTP and TTP are not ones we trained ever those completely ignorant about who actually TTP is think that way which they are way wrong. TTP are paid pet dogs of RAW and MOSSAD with some help from NDS.

I wont get into this tu tu mein mein argument with you but just real quick.

Struggle against NATO ?

Local struggle against the USA and NATO ? They are killing Afghan civilians, bombing my schools, killing Afghan teacher... the bulk of the international forces is gone, what gives them the right to continue fighting ? Look lets not mence words you are an apologist, don't be shy be brave an accept it.

Tit for tat

One more question, if say that the official line of the Pakistani government is that Afghan Taliban are a resistance and not a terror gorup while they kill scores of Afghans, don't you think its logical and moral that Afghans consider TTP in the same category!! Then why do you complain, you support my enemy and I return the favor.

Alternative Approve win-win

You see with your logic we both lose, the common man suffer and we face continuous suffering, I am offering a different alternative which is we target both, solve our issues state- to state and let our common man live in peace.

Seriously man. You can still ask for Pakistan's help I am sure State of Pakistan will gladly help you out with the mess you have created. Most of your post seems like result of food poisoning from Indian food that you may have enjoyed in an Indian wedding

no trolling please.

/Peace

 

[Zarvan]

I wont get into this tu tu mein mein argument with you but just real quick.

Struggle against NATO ?

Local struggle against the USA and NATO ? They are killing Afghan civilians, bombing my schools, killing Afghan teacher... the bulk of the international forces is gone, what gives them the right to continue fighting ? Look lets not mence words you are an apologist, don't be shy be brave an accept it.

Tit for tat

One more question, if say that the official line of the Pakistani government is that Afghan Taliban are a resistance and not a terror gorup while they kill scores of Afghans, don't you think its logical and moral that Afghans consider TTP in the same category!! Then why do you complain, you support my enemy and I return the favor.

Alternative Approve win-win

You see with your logic we both lose, the common man suffer and we face continuous suffering, I am offering a different alternative which is we target both, solve our issues state- to state and let our common man live in peace.



no trolling please.

/Peace

Still 10000 USA and NATO are their and they are because your government made a contract with them you want to end Afghan Taliban support ask USA and NATO to leave and by doing this you would take half of their support. We won't complain we would come inside to kill these morons. Your contract with USA and NATO will only provide more power to Afghan Taliban. So first ask them to get lost and than start talks and bring peace in Afghanistan.

 

[I.R.A]

Alternative Approve win-win

You see with your logic we both lose, the common man suffer and we face continuous suffering, I am offering a different alternative which is we target both, solve our issues state- to state and let our common man live in peace.

no trolling please.

/Peace

No seriously what I said is indirectly with the same intention as what you have said in win win situation, but Pakistan needs to be in the driving seat .

You need to be just here, how many of our State representatives or Forces or intelligence reps have said anything hateful about Afghanistan or its people? And now compare it with your camp is there a single day your guys can live without saying anything against Pakistan? Have we ever burnt your flags? Come on we have the emotions too, if you love your country we love our's.