On August 11, the Taliban announced that it had launched a large-scale attack on the southeastern city of Ghazni as a part of its spring offensive codenamed “Operation al-Khandagh.”
Hours after the beginning of the attack, the Afghan group’s fighters managed to storm the city and captured large areas inside it including the headquarters of the Afghan National Police (ANP), the Bala Hissar fort, two military bases of the Afghan National Army (ANA) as well as 29 checkpoints.
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During the second day of the attack, the Taliban expanded its control inside and around Ghazni capturing several military bases and posts of the ANA and the ANP and city’s main prison.
According to the Taliban news agency Voice of Jihad, Taliban fighters have killed more than 200 personnel of the ANA and the ANP in Ghazni so far. The Afghan group also destroyed more than 50 armored vehicles of the ANA and captured many others.
In an attempt to save the southeastern city, the ANA began sending reinforcement hours after the banging of the Taliban’s attack. However, one of the ANA’s convoys was ambushed by Taliban fighters in the district of Sayad Abad, 80km north of Ghazni, according to the Afghan Tolo TV.
The Voice of Jihad claimed that Taliban fighters destroyed 18 armored vehicles of the ANA and killed several Afghan soldiers during the ambush.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant colonel Martin O’Donnell, a Public Affairs Officer for the NATO’s Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, denied that the Taliban took over Ghazni and said that all the administrative buildings in the city are still under the control of government forces.
“The Afghan National Army strongly and swiftly reinforced Ghazni City after Afghan security thwarted Friday’s Taliban attack. The city was relatively quiet Friday evening and people were observed moving freely on the streets. That said, clearing operations are ongoing and sporadic clashes are occurring,” Lt. Col. O’Donnell said according to TOLO.
Lt. Col. O’Donnell also revealed that warplanes and bombers of the NATO are currently supporting the ANA and bombing the Taliban’s positions inside and around Ghazni.
“In addition to the initial strike, close-air support and B-1 show of presence on Friday, US forces conducted five strikes yesterday (Saturday) and 10 thus far today. The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces continue to hold their ground and maintain control of all government centers,” said Lt. Col. O’Donnell.
Earlier this year, the ANA backed by NATO warplanes repelled a similar large-scale attack of the Taliban on the western city of Farah. This scenario may repeat itself in Ghazni, as the Afghan group appears to be unable to hold onto its gains inside and around the city.
So, they are conducting air strikes inside of the city? It sounds to me like they have trouble inside of the wire. That doesn’t jive with the ‘all is well in hand’ story by the US spokesperson.
US in its infinite idiocy has lost the war in Afghanistan and a few demoralized troops hunker down in bunkers in a few cities and the airforce rains bombs on civilians in frustration as Taliban control 90% of the territory and even in Kabul, they own the night.
Billy Joel used the same words in his song about Viet Nam; Goodnight Saigon, 1982.
We, held the day In the palm of our hands They, ruled the night
I wish well to you Varma.
>>Earlier this year, the ANA backed by NATO warplanes repelled a similar large-scale attack of the Taliban on the western city of Farah. This scenario may repeat itself in Ghazni, as the Afghan group appears to be unable to hold onto its gains inside and around the city.<<
If I were the Taliban's commander I would not even try to hold those gains. As long as US airpower (I'm not even bothering to call it NATO as its just the US with some token allied presence) is present in Afghanistan there is no point in trying to hold cities. They will just draw in US air power and US and Afghan ground forces. Trying to hold such a city is will only serve to get my troops killed for nothing. Far better to take a city, destroy the government buildings, kill anyone who is involved with the government and let it be known to the rest that if you working with the government there will be no safe place for you anywhere in Afghanistan. Additional bonus points for blowing up schools for women as un-Islamic and to show to NATO countries that building those was just a futile PR exercise.
If I were the Taliban's commander. I'm still in dubio because on the one hand seeing the US have a setback gives me a happy, but on the other hand the Taliban are little better then ISIS and Al Qaida. As in Jihadi headchoppers. And if those are bad in Syria they're also bad in Afghanistan.
This is one of the ones I agree with, I wouldn’t be surprised if something like that is the plan. I agree with the last paragraph as well but I think that they are, for now, what’s needed if only to get rid of the Yanks (better odds than ISIS or any other government the US would accept ever doing so). The fact they’re still around says they have at least some local support, more than most of the political parties in my country I’d wager. If they are as bad as all that then the Afghans themselves will deal with them eventually, but if they are what Afghans actually want then who are we to tell them otherwise?
Is the Taliban still alive??? The U.S.made us believe they had it under control looooooong ago actually they’ve been there for 17 years, yes 17 fucking years, twice the time they were in Vietnam!!!!, what the fuck have they been doing there then???? Ooooh now I remember, they’ve been baby sitting the poppy fields!!!
We’ve been in Germany, Italy, England, Japan, and Korea for over 50 years… who cares about 17. It hasnt been a war for the last 4 years (why the mission changed to Resolute Support). We are now training the Afghans to do the job that we once. did.. STFU you ignorant fuck. If you only read news articles then you have NO idea what you are talking about. The news is complete propaganda. If you dont know that yet.. you do now.
Once we are expelled from Afghanistan just like we were defeated in Vietnam, the people of the world will throw out our asses out of their countries. Nobody is afraid of us anymore. If you have not noticed, they are enticing us to invade and occupy. Why? This is their best opportunity to kill us. How many US Special Forces have been killed by those whom they training? It is widely understood by special forces that there allies could be the ones who kill them.
The Taliban aren’t American vassals like the Brits, Frogs, et alia.
Shut up fag and stick to the facts. Now go to CNN and Fox news, take 2 aspirins and go to sleep!!!
What’s the point of getting your peasants hooked on smack if you can’t ensure supply? You want docile sheep not strung out fiends.
What a dump. Makes Juarez look like a vacation resort! :D
Actually I live in Juarez Richard!!
My sympathies, Herr Standartenfuhrer.
Mission Accomplished according to US lies.
There are allegedly 14,000 American troops in Afghanistan, why aren’t they joining the fight?
Because Talibans are sons of USA and now, when ISIS (DAESH) is loosing, Thalibans can come good again. That’s why some months ago americans brought the leaders of Syrian ISIS in Afghanistan with helicopters.
They’re likely PMCs. If so, they don’t count as “troops”.
Thalibans born as US fighters against soviets, now …..
Our job is no longer war fighting. We are training the afghans to do that.
You send afghans to die in your place, telling them it’s their war to fight for US. US soldiers are defeated even before the battle started, because they are cowards.
i read somewhere that taliban are now in negotiation with US , first one was done at Qatar.
The Zionist US has been fighting the Taliban for 17 years,and still haven’t won,BUT,they are making trillions, on drugs,and REMs or rate earth metals..That’s what they invaded Afghanistan for in the first place,likewise Iraq,to steal the resources and make the greater israhelli project come into effect.
RARE EARTH METALS
Them bombing doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a Taliban problem in the city, it might just be your run of the mill wedding, market or prayer meeting slaughter.
Once the United States is defeated and expelled from Afghanistan, the Taliban will make economic deals with Russia, Iran, and China.
It’s the same name, same cork screw, different bottle , I Dream of Jeannie, Oh master !!!!, check it out remember when Jeannie ended up in the dumpster, 2000 years in a bottle the cause of a hallucination , IS is smoke or the mirrors. “The Lady in the Bottle Episode Part 5/6”.
No one is coming to save Afghanistan, IS will always be with us screwing the CIA for a share of the Poppy Crop.
Taliban will destroy IS just like they did the Mujahideen, but not while NATO is there to defend them.
Taliban against government (USA-puppets, and opium controllers).
GO Taliban ! GO Yemen ! GO Assad ! GO Palestine! Kill that NATO neocolonialist vermin, those Saudi pigs and those Israeli false Jihad pests !