The Afghan government said its forces have regained control over most of Ghazni city on Aug. 14, four days after Taliban insurgents launched a major offensive aimed at seizing this strategically located city.
The bloody Taliban offensive to capture Ghazni, the capital of Ghazni Province to the south of Kabul, has so far seen the deaths of more than 100 men of the Afghan National Police and the Afghan National Army Commando Corps.
More than 200 Taliban insurgents have also been killed in the Taliban offensive meant to seize control of the city, which is the sixth largest in the country. Included in the Taliban death toll was at least 12 of their top commanders, said a statement from the Afghan government.
Hundreds of other government troops have been wounded in the bitter fighting that began in the early morning hours of Aug. 10. Taliban fighters attacked the city from multiple directions and fought to within 300 meters of the Governor's office before being driven back by resistance from Afghan forces backed by U.S. airstrikes.
The U.S. Air Force launched 24 airstrikes from Aug. 12 to 14, inflicting heavy casualties on the insurgents and slowing-down their advance. Nine of these airstrikes took place on Saturday and Sunday.
Afghan government reinforcements hastily rushed to the fighting, and which had to fight their way through Taliban roadblocks and ambushes, also seems to have helped turn the tide against the Taliban. The Taliban attack on Ghazni is the largest offensive launched by the insurgents since June.
Afghan Defense Minister Tariq Shah Bahrami confirmed the deaths of more than 100 government fighting men in the intense fighting. Some 30 civilians were killed, as well. Kabul admitted having been surprised by the attack and by the large number of Taliban insurgents that launched the assault on Ghazni.
Government officials are confident Ghazni city won't fall to the Taliban, noting that most of the city remains under government control. Afghan forces also hold key government positions and institutions throughout the city. The newly arrived reinforcements are clearing the city of the remaining pockets of Taliban fighters.
U.S. military advisers are on the ground assisting Afghan forces and are coordinating the airstrikes to support Afghan troops fighting to retake the entire city. These American advisers are part of the Resolute Support Mission led by U.S. Army General John Nicholson.
