Afghan officials say 150 Taliban militants have been killed and dozens of others wounded in an operation aimed at retaking northern Kunduz Province's capital city. Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense said in a statement released on Thursday that 90 militants had also been injured in the fight for the city of Kunduz, which is located 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of the country's capital, Kabul. According to the statement, there were no civilian casualties in the operation. Afghan Special Forces earlier said they had recaptured the city from the militants. Taliban militants seized Kunduz on September 28, taking over government buildings, a hospital, and also releasing some 600 prisoners at a detention center, including Taliban commanders. The recapturing of the strategic city was significant for Afghan troops as Kunduz Province lies on a crossroads that connects some key regions of the country. The city has been witnessing battles between security forces and militants since April. Ongoing violence in Afghanistan comes 14 years after the US and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. Although the Taliban were removed from power because of the invasion, many areas in the country are still threatened by insecurity.
