Battle of Kunduz (2021)

This article is about the 2021 battle. For other battles in Kunduz, see Battle of Kunduz.

Battle of Kunduz
Part of 2021 Taliban offensive
Date21 June – 11 August 2021
(1 month and 3 weeks)
Location
Kunduz, Kunduz province, Afghanistan
36°43′43″N 68°52′05″E / 36.728611°N 68.868056°E / 36.728611; 68.868056
Result Taliban victory
Belligerents
 Taliban  Afghanistan
Commanders and leaders
Muhammad Aka[1]
(Taliban commander for Kunduz)		 Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ehsanullah Omarzad Surrendered[2]
(Governor of Kunduz)
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Najibullah Omarkhel Surrendered
(Acting Governor of Kunduz)
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Ali Yazdani Surrendered[3]
(Commander of 217th Pamir Corps)
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Zabardast Safi Surrendered[4][2]
(Police Chief of Kunduz)
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Taj Mohammad[5]
(leader of Afghan commandos)
Units involved

Taliban forces

Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF)

National Directorate of Security (NDS)

Local anti-Taliban Militia[7]
Strength

21 June–8 August:

  • Unknown

8–11 August:

  • Additional reinforcements from neighbouring areas[8]
  • Taliban fighters freed from Kunduz prison[6]

21 June–8 August:

  • Unknown

8–11 August:

  • 2,000 soldiers[9]
Casualties and losses
Afghan military claim:
Heavy casualties[5]		 Unknown casualties
Hundreds of soldiers surrendered[9]
Weapons:
A number of military vehicles, equipment[10] and ScanEagle drones captured[11]
1 tank captured, 3 tanks destroyed[12]
Two UH-60 Black Hawk destroyed[13]
One Mil Mi-24 captured[14]
Civilian casualties: 39+ killed, 354+ injured[15][16]
Battle of Kunduz (2021) is located in Afghanistan
Battle of Kunduz (2021)
class=notpageimage|
Kunduz within Afghanistan

The Battle of Kunduz took place between the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and the Taliban for control of the city of Kunduz. The fighting started in late June[17] and lasted until the city was overrun by the Taliban on 8 August.[10] The Afghan government forces, defending the city, withdrew to 217th Pamir Corps headquarters and airport within the city.[18][10] After resisting for three days, an entire 217th Pamir Corps had surrendered, allowing Taliban to take control of the airport and a number of military vehicles and tanks stationed inside the headquarters.[10][19][20]

  1. ^ Moiz, Ibrahim (5 October 2021). "How the Afghan Taliban achieved their takeover of Afghanistan". The Express Tribune.
  2. ^ a b Shaheed, Anisa (12 August 2021). "Taliban Take Over Ghazni City, Governor Arrested". TOLOnews.
  3. ^ Shadi, Khan Saif (22 June 2021). "Taliban claim capture of key Afghan-Tajik border crossing". www.aa.com.tr.
  4. ^ "سقوط غزني وخوشي يضع كابول بين فكّي «طالبان»". www.aljarida.com (in Arabic). 13 August 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "Taliban Seizes Key Areas Of Kunduz As Two Other Afghan Provincial Capitals Fall". RFE/RL. 8 August 2021.
  6. ^ a b Roggio, Bill (8 August 2021). "Taliban takes control of Afghan provincial capitals of Kunduz, Sar-i-Pul and Taloqan | FDD's Long War Journal". www.longwarjournal.org.
  7. ^ Constable, Pamela; Mehrdad, Ezzatullah (22 June 2021). "Militias in Afghanistan's north are taking up the fight against the Taliban". Washington Post.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference reinforcements was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b "Afghans wave white flag, yield base to Taliban". Arkansas Online. 12 August 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d Roggio, Bill (12 August 2021). "Taliban seizes Afghan Army corps headquarters, 2 northern airports | FDD's Long War Journal". www.longwarjournal.org.
  11. ^ "Taliban seizes US military equipment including drones, humvees and MRAPs". The Independent. 13 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Taliban gains ground in Afghanistan's strategic Kunduz city - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. 8 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Taliban destroy two Black Hawk helicopters in Afghanistan". The Express Tribune. 12 July 2021.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference Siege9 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ "Twenty-Eight Civilians Killed in Northern Afghan Province as Fighting Intensifies". US News. 24 June 2021.
  16. ^ "At least 11 civilians killed, 64 wounded in Afghanistan in one day - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. 7 August 2021.
  17. ^ Nossiter, Adam; Rahim, Najim (14 July 2021). "Selling Fruit Where the Taliban Stalk the Streets". The New York Times.
  18. ^ "Taliban overrun northern Afghan cities of Kunduz, Sar-e Pul, Taloqan". Reuters. 9 August 2021.
  19. ^ "U.S. Says No Afghan Outcome 'Inevitable' As Taliban Captures Strategic Targets In North". RFE/RL. 11 August 2021.
  20. ^ Khan Saif, Shadi (12 August 2021). "Taliban captures Afghan army's Pamir Corps headquarter in Kunduz". www.aa.com.tr.