Afghan Military Battles the Taliban in Kunduz

On October 1, Afghan Security Forces defeated part of a Taliban insurgency force that had infiltrated the northeastern Kunduz Province of Afghanistan on September 29. With the assistance of NATO air support, the Security Forces killed 150 Taliban soldiers and helped push back against the latest iteration of recent Taliban offensives. However, residents of Kunduz reject the government’s narrative that the city is back under government control. Residents suggest that Taliban forces have retained strategic areas within the city despite the losses suffered at the hands of the Security Forces. Possession of the city continues to change hands, with Taliban forces reportedly regaining control of norther areas in the city. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will be sending a commission to investigate how the Taliban managed to take over the city.

The recent death of Mullah Mohammed Omar, the founder and leader of the Taliban, led to a leadership vacuum, filled by Mullah Akhtar Mansour. With the Taliban under new leadership, these offensives signal a resurgent Taliban that may still be a force to be reckoned with. Almost mirroring the resurgent Taliban, the Afghan Forces have also increased in strength. NATO forces ended their combat role in Afghanistan this past year, but several thousand troops remain to advise and train the Security Forces to independently defend their country in the long term.