Aug 31, 2019

Taliban attacks Afghan city Kunduz amid U.S. peace talks

Rashaan Ayesh

U.S. and Afghanistan troops in the city of Kunduz — Photo: Bashir Khan Safi/AFP/Getty Images

The Taliban carried out an attack in the city of Kunduz, Afghanistan early Saturday morning, killing at least 10 civilians and wounding more than 75, as U.S. and Taliban leaders worked to negotiate a peace deal in Qatar, the AP reports.

Why it matters: Both sides have indicated they are nearing an agreement, though some members of the Taliban are resisting efforts to end the nearly 18-year war, says Al-Jazeera. The Taliban wants American troops sent home, while the U.S. wants a complete ceasefire.

Militants "now control or hold sway over roughly half of the country and are at their strongest since their 2001 defeat by a U.S.-led invasion," according to the AP.

What they're saying:

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says government forces were able to push back on the attack, and the Taliban wants "to create an atmosphere of fear in the city," per Al-Jazeera.
Saturday's attack served as evidence that "the Taliban are not interested in a cease-fire," the AP notes per an Afghan analyst.

Go deeper: Afghanistan peace talks: U.S. pushes toward “face-saving way out"

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Taliban attacks Afghan city Kunduz amid U.S. peace talks

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