Blast In Kunduz City Leaves 10 Dead, Several Wounded
[ToloNews] At least 10 people were killed and several others were maimed in a kaboom in the city of Kunduz on Saturday evening, targeting a gathering of security force members, including the provincial police chief.
The city came under attack by the Taliban
...the Pashtun equivalent of men...from three directions at 1:30 am on Saturday. The Taliban reportedly captured some areas on the outskirts of the city, according to sources.
Security officials said the festivities are still ongoing on the outskirts of the northeastern city of Kunduz.
Interior Ministry in a statement says Sarwar Hussaini, Kunduz police front man, has been maimed in the blast. But members of Kunduz Provincial Council say the police front man lost his life in the attack.
The acting ministers of Defense and Interior ‐ Assadullah Khalid and Massoud Andarabi ‐ arrived in Kunduz on Saturday evening to lead the clearance operation against the Taliban.
Sources said that Kunduz Police Chief Manzoor Stanekzai was maimed in the earth-shattering kaboom.
Taliban claimed the responsibility for the earth-shattering kaboom and said it was a suicide kaboom
.| Khaama Press adds: |
Nasrat Rahimi, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior said an explosion took place in the center of Kunduz city at around 6 pm local time, when the Police Chief of Kunduz was briefing reporters.
Reports indicate that the explosion also killed Syed Sarwar Hussaini, the spokesperson of Kunduz Police Headquarters.
Video: Afghan forces repulse Taliban attack on Kunduz city
| One minute video of Afghan troops engaging in small arms fire in what looks like a very disciplined fashion at the link. Go see if I understand what I was seeing, dear Reader. |
The Ministry of Interior said in a statement that the Taliban are fleeing the city after coming under intense airstrikes and ground raids.
The 217th Pamir Corps said in a statement that the Taliban militants launched the attack at around 1:10 am local time.
The statement further added that the security forces have repelled the Taliban attacks in various parts of the city.
Furthermore, the 217th Pamir Corps said the security forces are conducting the clearance operations slowly in a bid to prevent civilian casualties.
Meanwhile, the 217th Pamir Corps said the security forces hvae also conducted airstrikes in Zakhil, Pul-e Shinwari, Kala Gaw and Qahwa Khana which have killed 26 Taliban militants.
The 217th Pamir Corps also added that the airstrikes have wounded at least 14 Taliban militants as well.
In Photos: Afghan defense and interior ministers visit Kunduz city amid Taliban attack
[KhaamaPress] The Ministry of Interior (MoI) said the acting defense minister Asadullah Khalid and acting interior minister Massoud Andarabi visited Kunduz city earlier today amid Taliban attack earlier today.
The Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi shared the photos of the two top security and defense officials who visited the security and defense forces in Kunduz city, accompanied by Gen. Scott Miller, the commander of the U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
The Afghan Intelligence, National Directorate of Security (NDS) earlier said in a statement that the NDS forces together with the 905th Unity of the National Directorate of Security launched joint efforts to repulse the Taliban attack in Kunduz city.
The statement further added that the security forces launched joint ground and air raids in Kala Gaw, Pul-e Shinwari, Qahwa Khana and Ali Khel areas of the city.
Furthermore, the National Directorate of Security said the security forces killed 35 Taliban militants including Kamil, one of the commanders of the Red Unit of Taliban.