Taliban overrun Afghan city

The Taliban have overrun the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, taking control of most areas and freeing hundreds of prisoners from its jail. Hundreds of militants stormed the city before dawn, quickly seizing key buildings and advancing on the airport. The government says it has sent reinforcements to Kunduz and fighting is ongoing. Kunduz would […]

The Taliban have overrun the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, taking control of most areas and freeing hundreds of prisoners from its jail.
Hundreds of militants stormed the city before dawn, quickly seizing key buildings and advancing on the airport.
The government says it has sent reinforcements to Kunduz and fighting is ongoing.
Kunduz would be the first provincial capital taken by the Taliban since they lost power in 2001’s US-led invasion.
The attack came a day before the first anniversary of President Ashraf Ghani’s unity government.
Kunduz is strategically important as it acts as a transport hub for the north of the country.
It also has symbolic significance for the Taliban as it was their former northern stronghold before their government was overthrown.
“With the capturing of the police compound and governor’s office in Kunduz, the whole province fell to our hands and our fighters are now advancing towards the airport,” Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid said on his Twitter account.
A picture on the same account purportedly showed fighters at a roundabout in the city centre raising the Taliban’s white flag.
Earlier, the government admitted that it had lost control of parts of the city. It said at least 25 militants and two Afghan policemen had been killed and that reinforcements had been sent to the city.
Kunduz police spokesman Sayed Sarwar Husaini told the BBC’s Mahfouz Zubaide that militants had captured the jail in Kunduz and freed about 500 prisoners, including members of the Taliban.
Many government officials are trying to flee via the city’s heavily fortified airport.
Kunduz province has seen a number of attacks since April, with the Taliban joining forces with other insurgents.