Taliban militants fought their way into Afghanistan’s northern city of Kunduz early on Saturday, officials said.
Sediq Sediqi, a presidential spokesman, said that security forces were repelling the attack “on some parts of Kunduz city.
He said that the Taliban had taken positions in civilian areas, adding security forces’ top priority was to protect civilians.
Insurgents launched the attack on the city from three directions at 1:30a.m. on Saturday, said Rohullah Ahmadzai, a spokesman for Defense Ministry.
The official said that the operation to repel the attack was being carried out with caution to avoid civilian casualties. He said that the insurgents had taken position in civilian areas, including a hospital.
Later in the day, a suicide bombing happened while security officials were speaking to reporters at the main square of the city.
The Interior Ministry in a statement Sunday said that 20 Afghan forces, five civilians and 56 Taliban fighters were killed in clashes and the suicide attack. The provincial police’s spokesman was also killed.
The statement said that the city was fully cleared of insurgents.
This is not the first time that Kunduz city comes under Taliban attack.Over the past two years, the insurgent group has thrice managed to seize large parts of areas surrounding the city before being driven off after days of fighting with the Afghan forces and air strikes conducted by the US forces.
