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Taliban gains in Afghan city of Kunduz

A Taliban offensive has gathered momentum in recent days, with the US mission winding up.
A Taliban offensive has gathered momentum in recent days, with the US mission winding up. Credit: AP

Taliban fighters have taken control of much of the capital of northern Afghanistan's Kunduz province, including the governor's office and police headquarters, a provincial council member said.

Ghulam Rabani Rabani said fighting between insurgents and government forces had taken place around the governor's office and police headquarters but that later the Taliban had taken over the two buildings. They also had control of the main prison building in Kunduz, he said.

Rabani said fighting was continuing at the city's airport and other parts of the city. Kunduz is a strategic crossroads with good access to much of northern Afghanistan as well as the capital, Kabul, about 335 km away.

A Taliban surge has intensified as US and NATO troops wrap up their withdrawal from the country. With Taliban attacks increasing, Afghan security forces and government troops have retaliated with airstrikes aided by the United States. The fighting has raised growing concerns about civilian casualties.

On Saturday, Taliban fighters entered the capital of Jawzjan province after sweeping through nine of 10 districts in the province. Several other of the country's 34 provincial capitals are also threatened.

Meanwhile, airstrikes damaged a health clinic and high school in the capital of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, a provincial council member said on Sunday.

A Defence Ministry statement confirmed that airstrikes were carried out in parts of the city of Lashkar Gah. It said forces targeted Taliban positions, killing 54 fighters and wounding 23 others. It made no mention of a clinic or school being bombed.

Majid Akhund, deputy chairman of the Helmand provincial council, said airstrikes hit a health clinic and a school in the city's 7th police district late Saturday. But he said the area is under Taliban control so any casualties could have been caused by Taliban there.

Dr. Ahmad Khan Weyar, an official from the Helmand public health department, said a nurse was killed when an airstrike hit a health clinic and a guard was wounded.

"American invaders bombed and destroyed another hospital and school in Helmand," the Taliban said in a statement. It said Safyano Hospital and Muhammad Anwar Khan high school were bombed.

Heavy fighting has taken place in and around Lashkar Gah and both US and Afghan government air forces have conducted airstrikes in the city. The Taliban control nine of the city's 10 police districts.