Battle of Kunduz (2015)

Last updated

Battle of Kunduz
Part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
2015 Battle of Kunduz (City).svg
Situation on 27 September, after the Taliban had pushed ANA forces back to the airport.
  Controlled by the Afghan National Security Forces
  Controlled by Taliban forces and allies
Date24 April 2015 – 14 October 2015
(5 months, 2 weeks and 6 days)
Location
Kunduz, Kunduz Province, Afghanistan
36°43′43″N68°52′05″E / 36.728611°N 68.868056°E / 36.728611; 68.868056
Result

Government victory

  • Taliban captures Kunduz on 27 September
  • Government forces launch a counter-offensive
  • Taliban withdraws from Kunduz on 14 October [1]
Belligerents

Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Supported by:
Flag of the Resolute Support Mission.svg Resolute Support Mission

Flag of Taliban.svg Taliban
Commanders and leaders
Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg Ashraf Ghani
(President of Afghanistan)
Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg Mohammed Masoom Stanekzai
(Acting Defense Minister)

Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg Sher Mohammad Karimi
(Chief of the General Staff of the Afghan Armed Forces)
Flag of the United States.svg John F. Campbell

Flag of Taliban.svg Akhtar Mansoor
(Supreme Commander)

Flag of Taliban.svg Sirajuddin Haqqani
(Deputy leader) [2]
Flag of Taliban.svg Mawlawi Salaam [3]
(Disputed) [4] (Shadow governor of Kunduz)
Strength
5,000–7,000+ [5] [6] 1,500 [7] (~500 in initial seizure of Kunduz)
Casualties and losses
Undisclosed [8] 80–200 killed (Afghan government claim; denied by Taliban) [3] [9] [10]
Killed or Wounded: 848+ civilians (U.N. report) [11]
100,000 displaced (over entire offensive)
Afghanistan adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
class=notpageimage|
Kunduz within Afghanistan

The Battle of Kunduz took place from April to October 2015 for control of the city of Kunduz, located in northern Afghanistan, with Taliban fighters attempting to seize the city and displace Afghan security forces. On 28 September 2015, the Taliban forces suddenly overran the city, with government forces retreating outside the city. The capture marked the first time since 2001 that the Taliban had taken control of a major city in Afghanistan. [12] The Afghan government claimed to have largely recaptured Kunduz by 1 October 2015 in a counterattack, although local sources in the city disputed the claim made by government officials. [13] [14]

Contents

Twelve hospital staff of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and ten patients, including three children, were killed on October 3 by a prolonged series of US airstrikes on Kunduz Trauma Centre, an emergency trauma hospital run by the agency. [15] Thirty-seven people were injured including nineteen staff members. [16]

Timeline

Map showing the Taliban advance on Kunduz. 2015 Battle of Kunduz (Province).svg
Map showing the Taliban advance on Kunduz.

Initial attack

The Taliban launched its attacks on Kunduz on 24 April, targeting four outlying districts around the city. [17] By the 28th, they largely controlled the suburb of Gortepa, while in the Imam Sahib District Taliban fighters surrounded an Afghan National Army base and Afghan Local Police forces in the area were forced to retreat on several fronts. [17] In response to the attacks, the Afghan government dispatched several thousand army troops to the region, and President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani convened an emergency meeting with military officials. [17] United States fighter jets were deployed under the authority of the Resolute Support Mission, although they did not fire on the Taliban. [18]

Sustained fighting

After a week-long standoff following the initial assault, government troops began an offensive on 7 May against Taliban fighters, which had largely grouped to the south of Kunduz in the Gul Tepa district. [19] By late May, about 3,000 Afghan troops had arrived in the area, with Taliban strength estimated at 2,000 fighters, including militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. [20] The surge of government troops forced the Taliban fighters to about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Kunduz, back from their closest approach about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the city earlier in the offensive. [20]

A Taliban counteroffensive in June brought insurgent fighters into the Char Dara District, several miles from Kunduz. [21] On 21 June, a Taliban spokesman said that it had taken complete control of the district, and had captured local police officers. [21] A spokesman for the Kunduz District police force disputed the claim, saying that while there had indeed been fighting in the district, the Taliban only controlled about half of it and had not captured any police. [21] Throughout July, the Taliban continued to make gains, capturing towns outside Kunduz and in the Khan Abad District to the southeast. [22] According to the commander of a local militia allied with the government, about 2,000 local militia members and government troops had been forced to retreat, as the Afghan government had failed to dispatch reinforcements and supplies. Also ISAF air power was not used to assist them. [22]

Capture

On the morning of 28 September, a rapid advance by the Taliban forces from three directions displaced the government troops in Kunduz city, who after several hours retreated to the outlying airport, leaving the Taliban in complete control of the city. [12] According to a government security official, the Taliban had been vastly outnumbered, with only an estimated 500 fighters remaining against about 7,000 government troops and allied militia members. [12] However, local politicians from Kunduz said that the government had failed to provide leadership and support to its fighters in the area. [12]

On 29 September, Afghan forces began a counterattack from the airport towards the city, supported by American airstrikes throughout the day in the area [23] and US Army Special Forces personnel, many of whom had been deployed that morning. [24] However, by the end of the day government forces had failed to make headway, as the Taliban forced them back to and surrounded the airport. [23] The government also dispatched additional troops by both air and land, though reinforcements traveling via road were delayed by Taliban ambushes. [23]

By 30 September it was being claimed that anti-Taliban militias led by warlords were also joining the battle. [7]

Government counter-offensive

Afghan and American ground forces began a ground offensive from the airport to Kunduz late on 30 September, and by daybreak on 1 October had captured several police facilities and the city prison from the Taliban. [24] Late in the day, Afghan reinforcements arrived in the city, but American troops remained, as the Afghan forces planned to abandon their positions if the US soldiers retreated as they had intended. [24] Afghan forces also claimed to have taken back Imam Sahib, although the wider Imam Sahib District remained under Taliban control. [25] According to the Afghan defense ministry, about 150 Taliban fighters were killed in the day's offensive. [25]

On 4 October, Taliban fighters claimed to have recaptured the majority of Kunduz. [26] The following day, Afghan troops mounted a counter-offensive that pushed the Taliban back out of much of the city, with the national flag raised over the governor's residence for the first time since the beginning of the battle. [27] According to a police spokesperson, while the Taliban still threatened, their primary battle line had been broken. [27]

On 6 October, the Taliban renewed their attacks, apparently recapturing substantial portions of Kunduz, including the central Chowk Square and the northern part of the city. [28]

On 13 October, Taliban fighters withdrew from Kunduz after several days of heavy fighting with Afghan troops, who were supported by United States special forces and airstrikes. [29] According to a statement published on a Taliban-associated website, the retreat was due to the prospect of additional casualties and ammunition expenditure in continued fighting. [29]

MSF hospital airstrike

A US AC-130 airstrike hit a hospital run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF [Doctors Without Borders]), killing at 42 people, [30] in a series of bombing raids that lasted from 2:08 am local time until 3:15 am on 3 October. [16] [31] The trauma center was destroyed during the attack while there were 105 patients and 80 medical staff inside. [30] MSF had warned US and Afghan authorities of the hospital's location ahead of time, [32] but bombing continued for more than 30 minutes after it notified military officials it was under attack. [33]

On 7 October 2015 Barack Obama apologized for the air strike. [34] MSF and the United Nations called for an independent investigation into the attack. [35]

Impact

Within the first weeks of fighting, an estimated tens of thousands of people had been displaced. [19] In response, the World Food Programme sent aid packages for about 500 families in early May. [19] By late May, some 100,000 people had been displaced, though some began returning as the Taliban were pushed back from the city proper. [20]

By 30 September, a number of Afghan parliamentarians began calling for the resignation of President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah. In response Ghani's office replied that he had ordered an investigation into how Kunduz City fell so quickly. [36]

Casualties

At least 30 people, mostly civilians, had been killed in the fighting as of Wednesday, September 30, 2015, according to a health ministry spokesman. He also said hospitals in Kunduz had treated about 340 wounded. [37] By 5 October, the government's casualty estimates were of 55 dead and 600 injured. [38] According to a U.N. report, at least 848 civilians were killed or wounded following the Taliban attack. [39]

Internal affairs

The fall of Kunduz came in the first year after the end of the ISAF mission and it raised questions on the ability of Afghan forces to resist the Taliban insurgents without international support. [40] In November, President Ghani sacked several security officials citing they neglected their duties in defending the city. He also promised financial aid to the victims in Kunduz. [41]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kunduz</span> City in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan

Kunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan and the capital of Kunduz Province. The city has an estimated population of about 268,893 as of 2015, making it about the seventh largest city of Afghanistan, and the largest city in northeastern Afghanistan. Kunduz is in the historical Tokharistan region of Bactria, near the confluence of the Kunduz River with the Khanabad River. Kunduz is linked by highways with Kabul to the south, Mazar-i-Sharif to the west, and Badakhshan to the east. Kunduz is also linked with Dushanbe in Tajikistan to the north, via the Afghan dry port of Sherkhan Bandar. This city is famous in Afghanistan for its watermelon production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taliban insurgency</span> Islamist Insurgency during the War in Afghanistan

The Taliban insurgency began after the group's fall from power during the 2001 War in Afghanistan. The Taliban forces fought against the Afghan government, led by President Hamid Karzai, and later by President Ashraf Ghani, and against a US-led coalition of forces that has included all members of NATO; the 2021 Taliban offensive resulted in the collapse of the government of Ashraf Ghani. The private sector in Pakistan extends financial aid to the Taliban, contributing to their financial sustenance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)</span>

The following items form a partial timeline of the War in Afghanistan. For events prior to October 7, 2001, see 2001 in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)</span> Armed conflict between NATO countries and Afghanistan

The War in Afghanistan was an armed conflict that took place from 2001 to 2021. Launched as a direct response to the September 11 attacks, the war began when an international military coalition led by the United States invaded Afghanistan, declaring Operation Enduring Freedom as part of the earlier-declared war on terror, toppling the Taliban-ruled Islamic Emirate, and establishing the Islamic Republic three years later. The Taliban and its allies were expelled from major population centers by US-led forces supporting the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance; Osama bin Laden, meanwhile, relocated to neighboring Pakistan. The conflict officially ended with the 2021 Taliban offensive, which overthrew the Islamic Republic, and re-established the Islamic Emirate. It was the longest war in the military history of the United States, surpassing the length of the Vietnam War (1955–1975) by approximately six months.

The following lists events that happened during 2015 in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kunduz hospital airstrike</span> 2015 U.S. air strike on a hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan

On 3 October 2015, a United States Air Force AC-130U gunship attacked the Kunduz Trauma Centre operated by Médecins Sans Frontières in the city of Kunduz, in the province of the same name in northern Afghanistan. 42 people were killed and over 30 were injured. Médecins Sans Frontières condemned the incident, calling it a deliberate breach of international humanitarian law and a war crime. It further stated that all warring parties had been notified about the hospital and its operations well in advance.

The following lists events that happened during 2016 in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janikhel offensive</span>

The Janikhel offensive was launched by the Taliban and the Haqqani network in early August 2016 to conquer the Janikhel District within the contested Paktia Province from government forces. Due to the district's geographic location, it is of great strategic and tactical value to any force that controls it. After being besieged by insurgents for weeks and not receiving any outside help, the local government forces retreated from the district on 27 August. Even though the district was retaken by the government on 5 September, the fact that the district had been captured by the Taliban in the first place was widely considered a heavy blow for the government, which faced increasing insecurity and loss of territory since the ISAF retreat in 2014.

The Battle of Kunduz occurred on 3 October 2016 in the Afghan city of Kunduz between Afghan National Security Forces and Taliban insurgents. It occurred exactly a year after the 2015 battle when the Taliban briefly controlled the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Boz Qandahari</span> Battle of the War in Afghanistan, 3 November 2016

The Battle of Boz Qandahari occurred on 3 November 2016, in the village of Boz Qandahari, on the western outskirts of the Afghan city of Kunduz, between Afghan National Army Commandos alongside United States Army Special Forces against Taliban insurgents.

Events in the year 2017 in Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kunduz madrassa airstrike</span> Afghan Air Force attack on civilians in Kunduz, Afghanistan

The Kunduz madrassa airstrike was an Afghan Air Force (AAF) airstrike that killed and injured many civilians at the Akhundzada Gojor Madrassa in the Dasht-e-Archi region of Kunduz, Afghanistan on 2 April 2018. The target of airstrike was a religious gathering at a Madrassa. A graduation ceremony was taking place at the Madrassa and hundreds of people were attending the ceremony at the time of airstrike. Initially, Afghan Government claimed that airstrike had killed scores of Taliban and denied any civilian casualties took place. But later the Afghan Government admitted that civilians were killed in the airstrike. Local residents from Dasht-e-Archi deny that any Taliban were present at the Madrassa. They said that only children and civilians were targeted and there were no Taliban among the casualties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghazni offensive</span> Taliban assault on city in Afghanistan

The Ghazni offensive began on 10 August 2018, when Taliban fighters launched an assault on the city of Ghazni, Afghanistan's sixth largest city and one which has been culturally and strategically important for much of the country's history. The attack resulted in the deaths of hundreds of insurgents, soldiers, police, and civilians. The city also sustained large-scale property damage. The battle, occurring only weeks before Afghanistan's 2018 parliamentary election, was the largest since a three-day truce in June had raised hopes of peace talks.

Events from the year 2019 in Afghanistan.

This article summarizes the history of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021).

Events in the year 2020 in Afghanistan.

In May 2020, a series of insurgent attacks took place in Afghanistan, starting when the Taliban killed 20 Afghan soldiers and wounded 29 others in Zari, Balkh and Grishk, Helmand on 1 and 3 May, respectively. On 12 May, a hospital's maternity ward in Kabul and a funeral in Kuz Kunar (Khewa), Nangarhar were attacked, resulting in the deaths of 56 people and injuries of 148 others, including newborn babies, mothers, nurses, and mourners. ISIL–KP claimed responsibility for the funeral bombing, but no insurgent group claimed responsibility for the hospital shooting.

The year 2021 in Afghanistan was marked by a major offensive from the Taliban beginning in May and the Taliban capturing Kabul in August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Taliban offensive</span> Military offensive by the Taliban in Afghanistan

The 2021 Taliban offensive was a military offensive by the Taliban insurgent group and allied militants that led to the fall of the Kabul-based Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the end of the nearly 20-year War in Afghanistan that had begun following the United States invasion of the country. The Taliban victory had widespread domestic and international ramifications regarding human rights and proliferation of terrorism. The offensive included a continuation of the bottom-up succession of negotiated or paid surrenders to the Taliban from the village level upwards that started following the February 2020 US–Taliban deal.

The Battle of Kunduz took place between the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and the Taliban for control of the city of Kunduz. The fighting started in late June and lasted until the city was overrun by the Taliban on 8 August. The Afghan government forces, defending the city, withdrew to 217th Pamir Corps headquarters and airport within the city. After resisting for three days, an entire 217th Pamir Corps had surrendered, allowing Taliban to take control of the airport and a number of military vehicles and tanks stationed inside the headquarters.

References

  1. ↑ Armstrong, Paul (14 October 2015). "Taliban exit Afghan city of Kunduz but claims mission was success". CNN. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  2. ↑ "Taliban emir seeks to reassure residents of Kunduz". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Afghan Forces Make Little Progress in Retaking Kunduz". Bloomberg. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  4. ↑ "Taliban shadow governor for Kunduz denies reports of his death". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Taliban Takeover In Kunduz Echoes Islamic State Rout Of Mosul". NDTV. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  6. ↑ "Shaken by Taliban Victory in Kunduz, Afghans Flee Another Provincial Capital". New York Times. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Taliban vow to march on Kabulafter winning fight for key city". The Times. London. 30 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "U.S. advisers fought alongside Afghans in retaking Kunduz from Taliban". CBC. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  9. ↑ "Taliban Kunduz attack: Afghan forces claim control of city". BBC. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  10. ↑ "AP Exclusive: Taliban Leader Says Afghan Insurgency Strong". ABC News. Associated Press. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "At least 848 Afghan civilian casualties in Kunduz: U.N." Reuters. 12 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Taliban Fighters Capture Kunduz City as Afghan Forces Retreat". The New York Times. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  13. ↑ "Afghan forces 'regain Kunduz control'". BBC News. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  14. ↑ Rubin, Alissa J. (1 October 2015). "Afghan Forces Rally in Kunduz, but Fight Is Far From Decided". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  15. ↑ Stokes, Christopher (4 October 2015). "Death toll rises" (Press release). Médecins Sans Frontières.
  16. 1 2 "Afghanistan: MSF Demands Explanations After Deadly Airstrikes Hit Hospital in Kunduz". Doctors Without Borders. 3 October 2015. Archived from the original on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  17. 1 2 3 "Afghan Troops Rush to Kunduz Amid Taliban Assault". The New York Times. 28 April 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  18. ↑ "U.S. Jets Deploy as Afghan Forces Battle to Stop Taliban Advance". Bloomberg. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  19. 1 2 3 "Afghanistan forces defend Kunduz from Taliban". BBC News Online. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  20. 1 2 3 "Afghan forces struggle as Taliban seeks northern stronghold". Military Times. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  21. 1 2 3 "Taliban and Afghan Government Dispute Status of Kunduz". The New York Times. 21 June 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  22. 1 2 "Taliban Make Gains Across 3 Provinces in Afghanistan". The New York Times. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  23. 1 2 3 "Afghan Crisis Grows as Push to Retake Kunduz From Taliban Fails". The New York Times. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  24. 1 2 3 "U.S. Role in Afghanistan Turns to Combat Again, With a Tragic Error". The New York Times. 8 May 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  25. 1 2 "Afghan troops seize parts of Kunduz from Taliban". The Guardian. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  26. ↑ Azimy, Qais (4 October 2015). "Taliban claims to recapture large parts of Kunduz city". aljazeera. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  27. 1 2 "Afghan Forces Report Progress in Kunduz as Taliban Press Other Fronts". The New York Times. 5 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  28. ↑ Nordland, Rod; Rahim, Najim (6 October 2015). "Taliban Gain Advantage in Tug of War in Kunduz". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  29. 1 2 "Taliban End Takeover of Kunduz After 15 Days". The New York Times. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  30. 1 2 "MSF Afghanistan hospital airstrike death toll reaches 42". the Guardian. 12 December 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  31. ↑ MacAskill, Hamid Shalizi (3 October 2015). "At least 16 killed at Afghan hospital after U.S. air strike". Reuters. Archived from the original on 10 October 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  32. ↑ "Kunduz bombing: US attacked MSF clinic 'in error'". BBC News. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  33. ↑ "Airstrike on Afghan hospital that killed 19 people continued after US was informed: medical charity". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 3 October 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  34. ↑ Shear, Michael D.; Sengupta, Somini (7 October 2015). "Obama Issues Rare Apology Over Bombing of Doctors Without Borders Hospital in Afghanistan". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  35. ↑ "Afghanistan: UN strongly condemns 'tragic, inexcusable' Kunduz hospital airstrike". UN News. 3 October 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  36. ↑ "Lawmakers demand president resigns as Afghan battle rages". Reuters. 30 September 2015. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016.
  37. ↑ Shalizi, Hamid (1 October 2015). "Afghan forces push into Taliban-held Kunduz city amid fierce clashes". Reuters. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  38. ↑ Shalizi, Hamid (5 October 2015). "Residents say Afghan forces regain most of Kunduz". SwissInfo. Reuters International. Archived from the original on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  39. ↑ Mackenzie, James (12 December 2015). "At least 848 Afghan civilian casualties in Kunduz: U.N." Reuters. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  40. ↑ "Why Kabul struggled to retake Kunduz | DW | 01.10.2015". Deutsche Welle .
  41. ↑ "Afghan president sacks security officials over fall of Kunduz". Reuters . Archived from the original on 29 April 2021.

36°44′00″N68°52′00″E / 36.7333°N 68.8667°E / 36.7333; 68.8667

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.