KUNDUZ: Afghan security forces “repelled” a coordinated Taliban assault on the northern city of Kunduz on Saturday, President Ashraf Ghani said, amid competing claims from the insurgents.

The multi-pronged offensive on Kunduz, which has come under frequent attacks since 2015, occurred as US and Taliban negotiators continue to seek an agreement in Doha that would see thousands of Ame­rican troops leave Afghanistan in return for various security guarantees.

Officials said the fighting started around 1am, when Taliban militants advanced on the city from several directions.

Gunfire could be heard across Kunduz, the capital of Kunduz province near the Tajik border. As the day wore on, both sides claimed that units from the other’s forces were surrendering.

By Saturday evening, the Afghan government said it had gained the upper hand.

The Taliban “wanted to create an atmosphere of fear in the city ... but their attack was repelled by our brave security forces,” Ghani said in a statement.

But shortly after that announcement, reports eme­r­ged of a suicide attacker targeting the local police chief as he spoke to reporters.

Interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said 10 people were killed and the police chief was wounded. It was not immediately clear what had happened and whether any journalists were among the dead.

A few hours earlier, Tali­ban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed Saturday’s attack had resulted in the capture of several important structures.

“The Taliban attacked Kunduz city from several directions this morning. We are in the city now capturing government buildings one after the other,” he told reporters.

US aircraft supported the Afghan air force in joint air strikes, a US official said, while American trainers gave advice to Afghan ground troops.

Rahimi said “hundreds of Taliban terrorists had been killed”, but there was no way to immediately verify the claim.

A journalist in Kunduz said small-arms and heavy-weapons fire could be heard in four areas of the city — but by mid-morning the reports ceased as most area cellphone coverage was cut.

The attack comes as US and Taliban negotiators continue a ninth round of talks in Doha. Western diplomats had widely expected an announcement to have been reached by now, but progress appears to have slowed in recent days.

On Thursday, a US commando was killed in the southern province of Zabul, marking at least the 15th American combat death in Afghanistan this year.

General Scott Miller, who heads US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, visited Kunduz as Saturday’s fighting was ongoing, Afghan officials said.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2019