Afghan National Army soldiers prepare to move out following an inspection of troops at the Regional Military Training Center at Tactical Base Gamberi, Afghanistan, on July 30, 2015. JARROD MORRIS/U.S. ARMY
On August 31 afternoon, a large blast targeted a gathering of Afghan security forces personnel in the center of the northern city of Kunduz.
TOLO News said that Kunduz blast killed at least ten people. The city’s Police Chief Manzoor Stanekzai was reportedly among the people wounded in the attack.
The mysterious blast came aimed a large-scale attack on the city by Taliban. The attack was reportedly launched at 01:30 AM local time.
The Taliban claims that its fighters were able to capture several key buildings inside the northern town. However, the Afghan government said that the military is working to repel the attack.
“Security forces are repelling the Taliban attack on some parts of Kunduz city. Their top priority is to protect the civilians,” Government spokesman Sediq Sediqqi wrote on Twitter.
According to Afghanstan’s Interior Ministry, at least 34 Taliban fighters have been killed by the army and security forces in Kunduz’ outskirt, so far.
The Taliban launched the attack amid the negotiations with the US. The Afghan government spokesman said that the attack shows that the group “does not believe in the peace opportunity.”
https://ericmargolis.com/2019/08/time-to-liberate-afghanistan/
Seemingly the only on-the-ground journalist I’ve come across with experience covering the Taliban during its early days.