At least 15 police officers were killed in battles in northern Afghanistan. Only militant Islamist Taliban militants attacked a checkpoint in the Aliabad district of Kunduz province during the night, recalled Provincial Councilors. Shortly afterwards, additional security forces rushing to the rescue were ambushed. At least one other policeman was also wounded.
In recent months, the security situation in the province of Kunduz has worsened. At least three of the nine districts are under full control of the Taliban, local officials said.
In the district of Aliabad, the government only has the center. Only two weeks ago a police checkpoint had been raided in the district, and at least ten policemen died. In early September, the Taliban tried to overrun the provincial capital Kunduz. Dozens of people and security forces were killed.
US President Donald Trump had surprisingly broken off talks on ways to make peace in Afghanistan between the US and the Taliban in early September, shortly before a possible agreement. Meanwhile, there are increasing signs that these could be resumed.
The US Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has been in talks with Brussels, Paris and Moscow this week to discuss how to support an accelerated peace process in Afghanistan, according to the US State Department.
