The Taliban's seizure of Kunduz in September 2015 marked the first time since 2001 that the group captured a major Afghan city.
Key Facts
- Battle duration
- April to October 2015
- City captured by Taliban
- 28 September 2015
- MSF hospital staff killed
- 12 people
- Patients killed in airstrike
- 10 people
- Total injured in airstrike
- 37 people
- First major city taken since
- 2001
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Taliban fighters launched a sustained offensive campaign against Afghan government security forces in northern Afghanistan beginning in April 2015, targeting the strategically significant city of Kunduz. The Afghan security forces struggled to contain the insurgent pressure over several months, creating conditions for a decisive Taliban push.
On 28 September 2015, Taliban forces overran Kunduz city, forcing government troops to retreat beyond its limits. This was the first time since 2001 that the Taliban had seized control of a major Afghan city. The Afghan government launched a counterattack and claimed to have largely retaken Kunduz by 1 October, though local sources disputed this assertion.
On 3 October 2015, US airstrikes struck the Médecins Sans Frontières Kunduz Trauma Centre, killing twelve hospital staff and ten patients including three children, and injuring thirty-seven others. The incident drew international condemnation and renewed scrutiny of US rules of engagement and the protection of medical facilities in conflict zones.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Side B
1 belligerent