The Taliban has vowed to "take serious revenge" after an Afghan airstrike in an area controlled by the militant group killed or wounded dozens of people, many of them children.

The government and military have said the Afghan Air Force (AAF) hit a Taliban base in the northeastern province of Kunduz on Monday where senior commanders were meeting to plan attacks. 
&nbsp 
But Afghan security sources and witnesses have told&nbspthat AAF helicopters struck a madrassa in Dashte Archi district where a graduation ceremony for religious students was underway.

At least 59 people were killed, including Taliban commanders, according to security sources. Health officials said at least 57 wounded were taken to hospital in the provincial capital Kunduz.&nbsp

The Taliban issued a statement late Wednesday saying it "condemns in the strongest terms this major crime and vows to take serious revenge against the perpetrators".

An AFP photographer was among the first journalists to visit the scene of the airstrike on Wednesday after receiving permission from the Taliban. It is deep inside Taliban-controlled territory and normally inaccessible to the media.&nbsp

The madrassa and mosque appeared to be undamaged. But in a field adjacent to the religious compound, where the graduation ceremony was purportedly held, AFP saw a hole in the ground that locals said was made by a rocket, though that could not be verified.&nbsp

AFP also saw large piles of hats, turbans and shoes that were said to belong to the victims of the airstrike. At least half a dozen freshly dug graves could be seen nearby.

Abdullah, 40, who lives near the compound housing the madrassa and mosque and was invited to attend as a member of the local community, told AFP that he saw the airstrike happen.&nbsp

"We were about to finish the ceremony at 1:00 pm when (Afghan military) aircraft bombarded innocent children," he said Wednesday.

"People were panicked. Children and elders were also wounded in the bombardment."

Government officials in both Kabul and Kunduz have given conflicting figures for the number of casualties, with some denying any civilians had been killed or that a madrassa had been hit.&nbsp

Afghan officials have been known to minimise civilian casualties.

The Afghan military initially denied civilians were among the dead and wounded, but later blamed the Taliban for shooting them. It said 18 Taliban commanders were killed and 12 were wounded in the airstrike.&nbsp

But Naim Mangal, a doctor at the hospital where most of the wounded were taken, told that "all the victims" had been "hit by pieces of bomb, shrapnel".&nbsp

At least 59 people were killed, including Taliban commanders, according to security sources

The Taliban has vowed to "take serious revenge" after an Afghan airstrike in an area controlled by the militant group killed or wounded dozens of people, many of them children. The government and military have said the Afghan Air Force (AAF) hit a Taliban base in the northeastern province of Kunduz on Monday where senior commanders were meeting to plan attacks. But Afghan security sources and witnesses have told&nbspthat AAF helicopters struck a madrassa in Dashte Archi district where a graduation ceremony for religious students was underway. At least 59 people were killed, including Taliban commanders, according to security sources. Health officials said at least 57 wounded were taken to hospital in the provincial capital Kunduz. The Taliban issued a statement late Wednesday saying it "condemns in the strongest terms this major crime and vows to take serious revenge against the perpetrators". An AFP photographer was among the first journalists to visit the scene of the airstrike on Wednesday after receiving permission from the Taliban. It is deep inside Taliban-controlled territory and normally inaccessible to the media. The madrassa and mosque appeared to be undamaged. But in a field adjacent to the religious compound, where the graduation ceremony was purportedly held, AFP saw a hole in the ground that locals said was made by a rocket, though that could not be verified. AFP also saw large piles of hats, turbans and shoes that were said to belong to the victims of the airstrike. At least half a dozen freshly dug graves could be seen nearby. Abdullah, 40, who lives near the compound housing the madrassa and mosque and was invited to attend as a member of the local community, told AFP that he saw the airstrike happen. "We were about to finish the ceremony at 1:00 pm when (Afghan military) aircraft bombarded innocent children," he said Wednesday. "People were panicked. Children and elders were also wounded in the bombardment." Government officials in both Kabul and Kunduz have given conflicting figures for the number of casualties, with some denying any civilians had been killed or that a madrassa had been hit. Afghan officials have been known to minimise civilian casualties. The Afghan military initially denied civilians were among the dead and wounded, but later blamed the Taliban for shooting them. It said 18 Taliban commanders were killed and 12 were wounded in the airstrike. But Naim Mangal, a doctor at the hospital where most of the wounded were taken, told that "all the victims" had been "hit by pieces of bomb, shrapnel".

Taliban vows 'serious revenge' over Afghan airstrike

<div style="text-align: justify;">Suspected Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan killed 12 people after stopping their vehicles on a road in the east of the country, while kidnapping 50 people in the north,&nbsp;officials said today. 
 
The Taliban have made considerable gains in fighting in various parts of the country in recent months. The killing of their leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, in a US drone attack last month has had no discernable impact on the violence. 
 
Attackers in the eastern province of Ghazni stopped two cars late on Tuesday and shot dead everyone they found. Several members of the security forces were among those killed, said Jawid Salangi a spokesman for the provincial governor. 
 
&quot;Taliban ordered the passengers out and brutally shot them,&quot; Salangi said.&nbsp;Villagers later found 12 bodies, he said. 
 
Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment. 
 
A suspected Taliban stopped a bus and a car near the northern city of Kunduz and took all 50 in the vehicles hostage, a police spokesman in the area, Mahfozullah Akbari, said. 
 
&quot;We are putting all our efforts into freeing them as soon as we can,&quot; he said. 
 
Travellers have faced a string of murders and kidnappings on roads in the recent weeks&nbsp;with the attack being the latest in the spate of highway killings. 
 
The Taliban insurgents had killed at least nine people and kidnapped 20 when they held up three buses in Kunduz late last month.</div>

Suspected Taliban insurgents stopped two cars and shot dead all occupants in the eastern province of Ghazni

Suspected Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan killed 12 people after stopping their vehicles on a road in the east of the country, while kidnapping 50 people in the north, officials said today. The Taliban have made considerable gains in fighting in various parts of the country in recent months. The killing of their leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, in a US drone attack last month has had no discernable impact on the violence. Attackers in the eastern province of Ghazni stopped two cars late on Tuesday and shot dead everyone they found. Several members of the security forces were among those killed, said Jawid Salangi a spokesman for the provincial governor. "Taliban ordered the passengers out and brutally shot them," Salangi said. Villagers later found 12 bodies, he said. Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment. A suspected Taliban stopped a bus and a car near the northern city of Kunduz and took all 50 in the vehicles hostage, a police spokesman in the area, Mahfozullah Akbari, said. "We are putting all our efforts into freeing them as soon as we can," he said. Travellers have faced a string of murders and kidnappings on roads in the recent weeks with the attack being the latest in the spate of highway killings. The Taliban insurgents had killed at least nine people and kidnapped 20 when they held up three buses in Kunduz late last month.

12 killed, 50 injured in Afghan highway attacks

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Taliban vows 'serious revenge' over Afghan airstrike

12 killed, 50 injured in Afghan highway attacks