Taliban overrun key Afghan provincial capital Kunduz

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

The Taliban have overrun much of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, capturing government buildings and the city’s central prison in one of the biggest military victories for the movement since 2001. It is the most serious invasion of a provincial capital in 14 years.

The Taliban entered the city during an early morning assault on Monday, storming the regional hospital and clashing with security forces at the nearby university.

By the afternoon, militants had reportedly captured the intelligence service headquarters, set fire to UN buildings and released hundreds of prisoners from the city’s jail, according to local journalists and residents.

Most government officials fled Kunduz early in the day, along with foreign and local NGO workers.

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/28/taliban-attempt-to-invade-key-afghan-city-kunduz

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Sune Engel Rasmussen in Kabul
Monday 28 September 2015 15.35 BST

[Comrade Grumpy]

1. The Americans come, the Americans go, the Taliban remains. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. US Launches Air Strikes After Taliban Takes Over Afghan Town of Kunduz

U.S. military forces have launched airstrikes in the Kunduz province of Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the city.

The strikes, which launched as support for Afghan security forces, were confirmed to ABC News by U.S. Army Col. Brian Tribus, a spokesman for U.S. Forces in Afghanistan.

He said that the strike, carried out this morning, was ordered "to eliminate a threat to coalition and Afghan forces in the area," though he did not mention the Taliban by name.

Afghan forces began a clearing operation to retake Kunduz early Tuesday morning according to Sayed Sarwar Hussaini, a spokesman for the Kunduz Police.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/us-launches-air-strikes-taliban-takes-afghan-town/story?id=34124109

Why the Taliban takeover of Kunduz is a big deal

...
The loss of Kunduz, even if the Afghan government manages to take it back soon, is an ominous sign. It's Afghanistan's fifth largest city and the capital of the province of the same name.

"This is the biggest town they've been able to take since 2001," said Nic Robertson, CNN's international diplomatic editor. "This is a significant target and prize for the Taliban."
...
The Taliban's intent to try to take Kunduz was well flagged, and yet Afghan forces were unable to hold the city despite outnumbering the attackers. "Since about April this year, the Taliban increased their strength in the countryside to the north of Kunduz and have essentially had it in their sights since then," Robertson said.
...
The fall of Kunduz comes at an awkward time for U.S. officials as they debate what kind of military presence they want to have in Afghanistan in the coming years. Gen. John Campbell, the top commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, is due to testify before a U.S. Senate committee about the situation in Afghanistan next week.
...

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/29/asia/afghanistan-kunduz-taliban-attack-why-it-matters/