Taliban forces attacked the northern Afghan city of Kunduz on Saturday, Afghan and Taliban officials said, even as Washington and the hardline group were working on finalizing a deal for the withdrawal of US troops.
Deadly clashes has been taking place in Kunduz city after the Taliban militants mounted attacks from several directions on Friday night.
This has forced forced the Afghan militants to retaliate and secure reinforcement to prevent the insurgents from gaining control over parts of the city, Reuters reported.
Electricity and most telephone services were cut while residents were sheltering in their houses.
“The city is completely empty, shops are locked, people aren’t moving and light and heavy weapons can be heard in several parts of the city,” said local resident Khaluddin.
Government officials in Kunduz and Kabul said the Taliban were seeking shelter inside homes, making it impossible for Afghan and US forces to conduct air strikes.
The interior ministry said at least 34 Taliban insurgents were killed in ground and air operations in three areas of Kunduz city and clearance operations were underway.
“Security forces are repelling the Taliban attack on some parts of Kunduz city. Their top priority is to protect the civilians,” said Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
“As always the Taliban have taken positions in civilian areas,” he claimed in tweet.
Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the attack on Kunduz city.
According to Reuters, Zalmay Khalilzad, the Afghan-born US diplomat leading the talks for Washington, is expected in Kabul in the coming days to outline the terms of a settlement to the Afghan president ahead of meetings with NATO partners.
A US Taliban accord would not in itself end the fighting in Afghanistan but it would open the way for talks between the Taliban and the government in Kabul for a wider peace agreement.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington had good negotiations going on with the Taliban but had not yet reached a deal with the group on US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
