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On August 7th, the Taliban launched an advance in the city of Kunduz in the north-eastern Afghanistan.
Following the night-long clashes, the Taliban fighters declared the complete capture of Kunduz. According to the group’s representatives, the militants managed to take control of the police department building, the residence of the provincial governor and the prison building.
The Taliban released video showing the Kunduz police headquarters under the complete control of the militants.
د کندز ولایت امنیه قومندانۍ د مجاهدینو په بشپړ کنترول کې ده.
مزدور دښمن شړل شوی او
مجاهدین په کې فعال او ثابت حضور لري. pic.twitter.com/hTEi16WIev— Zabihullah (..ذبـــــیح الله م ) (@Zabehulah_M33) August 8, 2021
According to the local reports, the Afghan security forces are now surrounded in the airport area, where they may receive reinforcement and accumulate forces, preparing for a counteroffensive.
At the same time, the Afghan Defense Minister announced the launch of a counteroffensive by Commando Corps units in Kunduz. Afghan commando saied the National Security Forces had been conducting coordinated operations in the province over the last 24 hours, denying the loss of the city.
The last hope for the Afghan government forces in Kunduz seems to be the air support from the U.S. The US Air Force provided assistance to the Afghan army in repelling the militants’ offensive in Kunduz. The U.S. B-52 bombed targets in the city.
The clashes and airstrikes caused major fires in the city. During the day of fighting, from 50 to 70 civilians were reportedly killed.
This is the 3rd time that the Taliban has taken control over Kunduz, the 5th largest city in Afghanistan. The provincial capital fell in one day.
The same day, on August 8, another provincial capital fell under Taliban’s control. The Taliban has recently proved the capture of Sari-Pul in northern Afghanistan with videos showing militants in the city center and near the main administrative buildings, including the governor’s house.
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Thus, at least 4 provincial capitals have fallen under the Taliban’s control in the last two days.
Since the fighting in major provincial capitals, such as Herat and Kandahar, has been going on for more than a week, the Taliban militants do not wasted their time and are capturing other provinces with less effort. This strategy allowed the militants to gain new income sources in the border regions, deprive the government of the opportunity to send reinforcements to the regions, as well as distract Kabul from fighting in large strategic cities.
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