Amid fighting between Afghan troops and the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-orders-b-52-bombers-spectre-gunships-to-target-taliban-says-report-403840">Taliban</a> in Kunduz, the militant group&nbsp;claimed it had captured the key Afghan city.

Reports say street-to-street fighting is taking place in Kunduz after&nbsp;the Taliban seized their first provincial capital&nbsp;Zaranj in Nimroz and Sheberghan in Jawzjan.

Reports said&nbsp;key installations in&nbsp;Kunduz have been captured by the Taliban.

Fierce fighting is also underway in Herat, Lashkar Gah and Kandahar in the south.

Meanwhile, an Afghan Air Force pilot was reportedly killed in Kabul after a sticky bomb attached to his vehicle detonated. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Watch:

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Taliban has made rapid gains in rural Afghanistan in the past two months after President Joe Biden declared the last US troops will be pulled out of the region by August 31 which is now just weeks away.

On Saturday, the Taliban closed a key border in Spin Boldak crossing along the Afghanistan-Pakistan area leaving several hundred travellers stranded.

The militant group had captured Spin Boldak last month. Reports said the Taliban freed several militants after capturing Zaranj amid looting in the area.

Britain on Saturday had urged its citizens to leave the country due to the "worsening security situation".

"Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Afghanistan. Specific methods of attack are evolving and increasing in sophistication," UK's foreign office had said.

On Friday, the Taliban had shot the head of the Afghan government's media information centre even as it had carried out a bomb attack on the country's defence minister Bismillah Mohammadi in the capital.

As the fighting intensified, Central Asian leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan met in Avaza on the Caspian Sea promising to "provide all possible assistance" towards achieving peace in Afghanistan. &nbsp;

Tajikistan's President Emomali Rakhmon said the Taliban now controls large parts of Afghanistan's border. "A number of terrorist organisations are actively strengthening their positions in these areas," Rakhmon said.

(With inputs from Agencies)&nbsp;

Amid fighting between Afghan troops and the Taliban in Kunduz, the militant group claimed it had captured the key Afghan city. Reports say street-to-street fighting is taking place in Kunduz after the Taliban seized their first provincial capital Zaranj in Nimroz and Sheberghan in Jawzjan.

Amid fighting between Afghan troops and the Taliban in Kunduz, the militant group claimed it had captured the key Afghan city. Reports say street-to-street fighting is taking place in Kunduz after the Taliban seized their first provincial capital Zaranj in Nimroz and Sheberghan in Jawzjan. Reports said key installations in Kunduz have been captured by the Taliban. Fierce fighting is also underway in Herat, Lashkar Gah and Kandahar in the south. Meanwhile, an Afghan Air Force pilot was reportedly killed in Kabul after a sticky bomb attached to his vehicle detonated. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Watch: Taliban has made rapid gains in rural Afghanistan in the past two months after President Joe Biden declared the last US troops will be pulled out of the region by August 31 which is now just weeks away. On Saturday, the Taliban closed a key border in Spin Boldak crossing along the Afghanistan-Pakistan area leaving several hundred travellers stranded. The militant group had captured Spin Boldak last month. Reports said the Taliban freed several militants after capturing Zaranj amid looting in the area. Britain on Saturday had urged its citizens to leave the country due to the "worsening security situation". "Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Afghanistan. Specific methods of attack are evolving and increasing in sophistication," UK's foreign office had said. On Friday, the Taliban had shot the head of the Afghan government's media information centre even as it had carried out a bomb attack on the country's defence minister Bismillah Mohammadi in the capital. As the fighting intensified, Central Asian leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan met in Avaza on the Caspian Sea promising to "provide all possible assistance" towards achieving peace in Afghanistan. Tajikistan's President Emomali Rakhmon said the Taliban now controls large parts of Afghanistan's border. "A number of terrorist organisations are actively strengthening their positions in these areas," Rakhmon said. (With inputs from Agencies)

Taliban captures key installations in Kunduz, heavy fighting underway in Herat, Kandahar

Taliban insurgents launched a complex attack on Tuesday morning against a military base in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least three public protection forces, an official said.

Five other forces were wounded in the attack, said Abdul Rahman Mangal, a spokesman for the governor in Paktia province.

A suicide car bomber targeted the entrance gate of the base in the provincial capital Gardez then two gunmen started shooting at the Afghan security forces, Mangal said.

Security forces killed both attackers in a gunbattle lasting almost 10 minutes and the area is now under control, he added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/womens-rights-a-key-issue-during-peace-talks-with-taliban-324361">Also read:&nbsp;Women's rights a key issue during peace talks with Taliban</a>

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the group claimed responsibility for the attack in Gardez.

The attack comes after Afghanistan's president appointed 46 members to a council for national reconciliation, which will have final say on whether the government will sign a peace deal with the Taliban after what are expected to be protracted and uncertain negotiations with the insurgents.

The negotiations were envisaged under a US-Taliban peace agreement signed in February as intra-Afghan talks to decide the country's future. A series of delays have hampered the start of the negotiations, which some had expected to begin late last month.

There are also other obstacles in the way of the negotiations. The Afghan government has reversed a decision to release the last 320 Taliban prisoners it is holding until the insurgents free more captured soldiers.

The US-Taliban deal called on the Taliban to free 1,000 government and military personnel they hold captive while the government was to free 5,000 Taliban prisoners, in an exchange meant as a goodwill gesture ahead of the intra-Afghan negotiations.

Taliban insurgents launched a complex attack on Tuesday morning against a military base in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least three public protection forces, an official said.

Taliban insurgents launched a complex attack on Tuesday morning against a military base in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least three public protection forces, an official said. Five other forces were wounded in the attack, said Abdul Rahman Mangal, a spokesman for the governor in Paktia province. A suicide car bomber targeted the entrance gate of the base in the provincial capital Gardez then two gunmen started shooting at the Afghan security forces, Mangal said. Security forces killed both attackers in a gunbattle lasting almost 10 minutes and the area is now under control, he added. Also read: Women's rights a key issue during peace talks with Taliban A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the group claimed responsibility for the attack in Gardez. The attack comes after Afghanistan's president appointed 46 members to a council for national reconciliation, which will have final say on whether the government will sign a peace deal with the Taliban after what are expected to be protracted and uncertain negotiations with the insurgents. The negotiations were envisaged under a US-Taliban peace agreement signed in February as intra-Afghan talks to decide the country's future. A series of delays have hampered the start of the negotiations, which some had expected to begin late last month. There are also other obstacles in the way of the negotiations. The Afghan government has reversed a decision to release the last 320 Taliban prisoners it is holding until the insurgents free more captured soldiers. The US-Taliban deal called on the Taliban to free 1,000 government and military personnel they hold captive while the government was to free 5,000 Taliban prisoners, in an exchange meant as a goodwill gesture ahead of the intra-Afghan negotiations.

Taliban attacked a military base in Afghanistan, killing three

A US government watchdog said on Friday that NATO's mission in Afghanistan is withholding crucial information related to Taliban attacks.&nbsp;

The office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), in its quarterly report, said the Resolute Support (RS) had stopped providing figures.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-president-ghani-and-bitter-rival-abdullah-reach-tentative-agreement-296157">Afghan President Ghani and bitter rival Abdullah reach 'tentative' agreement</a>

It said that RS issued a short statement, saying the Taliban had stepped up attacks in March, after the signing of the US-Taliban deal which intended to end American troops' presence in Afghanistan and work towards establishing peace and stability in the region.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/suicide-bombing-in-kabul-province-kills-three-wounds-15-295535">Suicide bombing in Kabul province kills three, wounds 15</a>

"Between March 1 and 31, the Taliban refrained from attacks against coalition forces; however they increased attacks against (Afghan forces) to levels above seasonal norms," RS said, as per the report.&nbsp;

The RS mission previously shared data on "enemy-initiated attacks", which helped in evaluating the strength of the Taliban and other insurgent groups.

RS told SIGAR that it decided to restrict information because enemy attacks were now a "critical part" of discussions "regarding ongoing political negotiations between the US and the Taliban"

However, SIGAR told Pentagon that the data might be released in the future.&nbsp;

Pentagon supported the decision to withhold data, citing ongoing talks.

"So the decision was that we're working toward a better solution and a better place for Afghanistan and that the sharing of that information would not... move the ball forward," the spokesman, Jonathan Hoffman, said.&nbsp;

"The level of violence by the Taliban is unacceptably high," he said, hinting that a diplomatic solution will possibly not end the crisis.&nbsp;

In the week ahead of February 29, when deal was signed in Doha, violence dropped in Afghanistan, however, after the signing, the Taliban immediately resumed assaults on Afghan forces.&nbsp;

During the deal negotiations, the Taliban committed to stop targetting foreign troops, but no such provision was made for Afghan forces.&nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)

 
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A US government watchdog said on Friday that NATO's mission in Afghanistan is withholding crucial information related to Taliban attacks. The office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), in its quarterly report, said the Resolute Support (RS) had stopped providing figures.

A US government watchdog said on Friday that NATO's mission in Afghanistan is withholding crucial information related to Taliban attacks. The office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), in its quarterly report, said the Resolute Support (RS) had stopped providing figures. Also read | Afghan President Ghani and bitter rival Abdullah reach 'tentative' agreement It said that RS issued a short statement, saying the Taliban had stepped up attacks in March, after the signing of the US-Taliban deal which intended to end American troops' presence in Afghanistan and work towards establishing peace and stability in the region. Also read | Suicide bombing in Kabul province kills three, wounds 15 "Between March 1 and 31, the Taliban refrained from attacks against coalition forces; however they increased attacks against (Afghan forces) to levels above seasonal norms," RS said, as per the report. The RS mission previously shared data on "enemy-initiated attacks", which helped in evaluating the strength of the Taliban and other insurgent groups. RS told SIGAR that it decided to restrict information because enemy attacks were now a "critical part" of discussions "regarding ongoing political negotiations between the US and the Taliban" However, SIGAR told Pentagon that the data might be released in the future. Pentagon supported the decision to withhold data, citing ongoing talks. "So the decision was that we're working toward a better solution and a better place for Afghanistan and that the sharing of that information would not... move the ball forward," the spokesman, Jonathan Hoffman, said. "The level of violence by the Taliban is unacceptably high," he said, hinting that a diplomatic solution will possibly not end the crisis. In the week ahead of February 29, when deal was signed in Doha, violence dropped in Afghanistan, however, after the signing, the Taliban immediately resumed assaults on Afghan forces. During the deal negotiations, the Taliban committed to stop targetting foreign troops, but no such provision was made for Afghan forces. (With inputs from AFP)

NATO withholds key information on Taliban attacks, says US watchdog