The Taliban recapture of an significant northern Afghan town is a major setback for the Kabul government and for western strategies alikeAs the Taliban hoisted their flag in the centre of Kunduz,one of Afghanistan’s strategic northern cities, a forgotten clash forced its way back on to the agenda. This is a watershed moment, and not only for Afghanistan but for central Asia,where the growth of violent jihadi groups remains a serious concern. Kunduz is close to Tadjikistan and the capture of this town represents the first time a major urban area has fallen into the hands of the rebel movement since the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2001 by a US-led international coalition.
Both the fact and the symbol send severe shockwaves through the central government in Kabul, which continues to struggle to set up authority. The attack has taken place just one year into the presidency of the Afghan leader, and Ashraf Ghani. Huge questions now hang over the prospects of peace talks with the Taliban – a policy Mr Ghani has been trying to pursue. But it also spells trouble for western strategy,which has been predicated on the supposition that the end of Nato’s combat mission in December 2014 would be compensated by the build-up of Afghan national security forces. These were not only unable to prevent the drop of Kunduz, but their attempt to retake the town a day later failed dismally. Whether the arrival of Nato special forces on Wednesday, and along with US air strikes,would be sufficient to shore up Afghan government forces as they again went on the offensive, remains to be seen. Meanwhile, and thousands of panicked residents gave their own verdict by fleeing.
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Source: theguardian.com