Afghan forces battling Taliban for control over Kunduz provinceAugust 27, 2014 - 17:55 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Afghan security forces are battling the Taliban for control of the northern province of Kunduz, where insurgents are threatening to overrun the capital and terrorizing residents who have fled to nearby districts, according to Reuters. The battle for Kunduz, as politicians wrangle amid a deadlocked presidential election in the capital, has special significance for people on both sides: it was the Taliban's last stronghold before the U.S.-backed Northern Alliance drove them out in 2001. The fighting in Kunduz reflects a broader trend of insurgent attacks across the country involving hundreds of fighters at a time. Most Western troops are due to leave Afghanistan after 13 years of fighting, leaving a security vacuum some fear the Taliban could quickly fill as Afghan security forces grapple with maintaining law and order on their own. Kunduz city residents have once again grown used to the daily sound of gunfire as fighting rages just a few kilometers away. While the government still holds the capital, it lacks resources - including military air power - to regain areas beyond the perimeter that are now largely under Taliban control. Police sources in Kunduz say some 1,500 Taliban fighters are engaged in the assault on their province, but deny control is slipping from their hands. "They are dreaming if they think they will occupy it," deputy police chief Sayed Jahangeer Karamat told Reuters. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the insurgents controlled four of the province's seven districts. "All allegations that the enemy has made about regaining control of the districts is totally wrong," Mujahid said. Both the Taliban and police spokesmen said they had the support of ordinary residents. Heavy fighting was also under way in the southern province of Helmand, where entire districts are essentially under Taliban control and local police are seeking a truce with militants to stop the bloodshed. In several other provinces, including Kandahar in the south and Baghlan in the north, Afghan security forces struggling for control have resorted to desperate measures, asking their men to kill any Taliban prisoners on the spot. Deputy police chief Karamat blamed the situation on the deadlocked presidential election that has raised the specter of the civil war that devastated Afghanistan in the 1990s, saying uncertainty had emboldened the militants. While the number of threats against district centers like Kunduz has been on the rise, according to the International Crisis Group (ICG), insurgents' success in taking control of large swathes of territory has so far been limited. Photo: Khaama Press Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. |