Taliban attacks city of Kunduz
In a well-coordinated attack Taliban has launched a major offensive against the city of Kunduz in Afghanistan. The attack which began in midnight from all four directions still continues as police are trying to push the fighters back. Taliban are known to be positioned in civilian homes and have become difficult to be dislodged. Taliban are reportedly upset with the activities of Afghan Special Forces in two different districts of Kunduz. Taliban in an official statement have confirmed the capturing of the Nawabad area and the four checkpoints of the region.
The attack is seen by international observers as a show of force as the group has increased its operations in many parts of Afghanistan especially the Helmand province. Kunduz which had been briefly captured by the Taliban was seen as a major setback for the government in Kabul. The attack has brought to fore the worsening security status in Afghanistan where Western-backed government claims to have control over two-thirds of the country. It has happened one day prior to a major donor conference in Brussels where the foreign donors of Afghanistan will approve foreign funding to the nation to the tune of billions. This funding for the Afghan government will continue in the next four years.
International agencies and organisations have begun evacuation of their staff from Kunduz. It is a two-pronged attack as the militants have attacked Helmand and Kunduz in northern Afghanistan and are moving closer to the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah. Much of the foreign staff has been airlifted from Kunduz as the latter is expected to fall in hands of the Taliban who are in much greater numbers than the government forces. Only the backing of international forces can help resist the attack.
The conflict in Afghanistan is the longest foreign venture of US troops as it is approaching its 15th anniversary. Although US has reduced the number of troops on ground to 8,500 from a whopping number of 1,00,000 servicemen including women. 700 airstrikes have been carried out in 2016 till August as a support to Afghan forces. Despite this, Afghan forces have suffered major casualties due to the conflict. This marks an increase of 20% in ANDSF (Afghan National Defense and Security Forces) in comparison to 2015.
Taliban
The Taliban is basically an Islamic political movement which is fundamental in character. Taliban has been at war with the state of Afghanistan under the name of jihad or Holy war. It had been in power from 1996 to 2001 in Afghanistan when it had imposed strict form of Sharia law. International community and even the leading Muslims had criticised the fundamentalism displayed by the Taliban. Mullah Mohammad Omar had been the supreme commander and spiritual leader of Taliban till his death 2013. He was succeeded by Mullah Akhtar Mansour in 2015 when he was killed in 2016 in a US drone strike. Presently, Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada is the leader of the organisation.
