DHAKA: The governor of Afghanistan’s Kunduz province says Taliban forces which staged an assault on the provincial capital have been defeated.

Asadullah Amarkhil said fighting in Kunduz city had stopped, and there were large numbers of Taliban casualties.

On Monday, Taliban fighters appeared to have breached the strategic northern city.

The fighting came a day before a major conference in Brussels to raise funds to ensure Afghan stability, reports the BBC.

Kunduz was briefly captured by the Taliban in September 2015 in what was a major victory.

After days of back-and-forth fighting, government forces, backed by Nato, recaptured the city.

Taliban militants entered Kunduz early on Monday and seized some central areas.

Its spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said on Twitter that it was a “massive operation”. The Taliban later said they had seized the roundabout and several checkpoints, but did not claim to have captured the city.

But by late on Monday, Nato forces and local police said they were back in control, with additional troops, including special forces, being flown in.

BDST: 1311 HRS, OCT 04, 2016
RR