PHOTO FILE: Taliban in Kunduz

Two years after the withdrawal of the Bundeswehr, the wisdom is fulfilled that there is no vacuum, but that it is filled with other forces. For the first time since 2001, the Taliban succeeded in taking a provincial capital in Afghanistan on September 28. And it is Kunduz, an area that was considered safe at the beginning of the Bundeswehr's engagement. Although there is a counteroffensive by government forces, the next few days will tell whether it will achieve anything.

The units of the Afghan government have retreated to the airport.

In videos, the Taliban show that they have also captured heavy equipment. The footage resembles that from Iraq: Humvees fall into the hands of the Islamist fighters, as do tanks. The Taliban also display a "captured" ambulance. They have also occupied the 200-bed hospital in Kunduz.

At the same time, the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" has issued a decree stating that NGOs and companies should continue to operate in Kunduz. It includes an emergency number to call in case of problems with the fighters. Confidence-building measures...

In the city flies the white flag of the Emirate. The new masters show themselves. After the fall of the Taliban government in 2001, the military operation OEF began, followed by the deployment of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. After the expansion of the ISAF mandate to the northern provinces, the Bundeswehr took over a US property in the middle of the city in January 2004, where until the end of May 2006 the Provincial Reconstruction Team for Kunduz Province was stationed (Participating nations: Belgium, Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, USA). Since June 2006, the PRT was housed near the airport in the German Kunduz Field Camp. On October 6, 2013, the field camp and the Kunduz region were handed over to regional security responsibility.

Prisoners from Kunduz prison have been released by the Taliban. The (temporary) fall of Kunduz probably closes the chapter on the city. Also history is the German Operations Command in Kunduz since 2009. The Taliban had the longer breath.

In the Taliban's images of the offensive, one can also see people in Afghan National Army (ANA) uniforms, but always with masked faces. It can be assumed that entire units have defected. There are also individuals who look like ANA Commandos based on their equipment and are posing with the Taliban in front of the Islamic Emirate flag. Fighters in other footage almost look like those of the Islamic State: Shalwar Kameez (pyjama suit) in Woodland, face masks.

Today, the Taliban have also taken control of the Kunduz airport.