Taliban fighters 'hoist flag' over Afghan city Kunduz

Afghan Taliban fighters, who launched an assault on the country's northern provincial city of Kunduz, have hoisted their white banner over the main square, according to a witness and two security officials quoted by the Reuters news agency.


Hundreds of Taliban fighters have carried out early-morning raids on Kunduz, entering the northern city from three different directions and reportedly seizing large parts of the city.

An increased number of Afghan security forces are deployed to the city to fight against the Taliban and a big offensive is soon to be conducted to take back the parts in the group's control, sources told Al Jazeera.

Battles between government forces and the Taliban were raging about 500 metres from the governor's compound, the deputy governor said, after he had fled to the city's airport.

Taliban broke into the main prison in Kunduz, freeing hundreds of fellow fighters, two security officials told Reuters.

Several people, including police officers, have been killed, and scores wounded in the attacks.

Al Jazeera's Abdullah Shahood, reporting from the capital Kabul, said Kunduz was in lockdown on Monday as security forces were fighting back.

He said heavy fighting continues across the city, roads had been blocked and some police stations within the city were surrounded by Taliban fighters.

Local reports suggest that the fighters have captured the provincial legislature building...
  aljazeera.com
28/9/15
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Related:

• At least 22 people, largely militants, were killed after Taliban fighters attacked Kunduz city, the capital of Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province early Monday, in an effort to seize the city's control, authorities said... 

• Taliban 'seize half' of Afghanistan's Kunduz city...

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