Taliban forces briefly capture Kunduz, Afghanistan

Afghan troops recaptured the center of the strategic northern city of Kunduz on Oct. 1, 2015, amid fierce clashes with Taliban militants, three days after losing the provincial capital in a humbling defeat for Kabul and its U.S. allies.

Fighting raged in other parts of the city, whose seizure represented a major victory for the insurgents and raised questions over whether NATO-trained Afghan forces were ready to go it alone now most foreign combat troops have left.

The fall of the city of 300,000 inhabitants — the first urban area taken by the Taliban since the 2001 U.S. invasion ousted their regime — was also a major setback to President Ashraf Ghani, who has staked his presidency on bringing peace to Afghanistan and seeking to draw the Taliban to peace talks. (Reuters/AP)

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