The CASE Kunduz

Currently, the news is coming fast. "Kunduz was recaptured by special forces!", was the latest report from the Afghan Ministry of Defense. The Taliban claim to still hold their positions. It is safe to assume that both versions are heavily laced with propaganda.

Therefore: The truth is surely somewhere in the middle. The Taliban still control parts of the city. At the same time, they seem to be continuing to capture districts in the surrounding areas and adjacent provinces, gaining a lot of land.

Just as quickly as the Taliban arrived, there are also explanations of how they managed to do so. There is also plenty of room for speculation here.

One fact that surely contributed to their success is that the Taliban are under maximum pressure in the Afghan/Pakistani tribal areas – traditionally the safe haven for Taliban fighters. This pressure has increased as a result of bomb attacks on the Pakistani population, establishments, and schools – even churches. Consequently, the Taliban have lost any "tolerated status" in Pakistan. The Pakistani government responded with military operations in the tribal areas. This pressure led to a movement westwards of the fighters, with Kunduz as their goal. Therefore, this seems to be one of the reasons for the massive presence of forces in the area.

However, the response from the Afghan military and international support is equally massive. The front line is shifting every hour, revealing the atrocities of the retreating Taliban forces. But the fact remains: the Kunduz situation is certainly not over yet.