Taliban, Afghan forces clash near Kunduz city

Insurgents claim control of 50 districts

The Taliban and Afghan forces clashed on Monday on the outskirts of the strategic northern city of Kunduz, with the insurgents claiming to have captured three districts in the region in a week. The Taliban have launched major offensives targeting government forces since early May when the U.S. military began its final troop withdrawal, and claim to have seized more than 50 of the country’s 421 districts. Many of their claims are disputed by the government, and independent verification is difficult.