KUNDUZ, Afghanistan Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants attacked Kunduz city, the capital of Afghanistan's northern Kunduz Province, 250 km north of Kabul on Monday, triggering heavy fighting, security officials and locals said.
Hundreds of Taliban insurgents took positions in civilian houses around Kunduz city early morning and begun targeting government positions.
"Groups of Taliban militants launched major offensive on Kunduz city at 03:15 a.m. local time today to overrun the city but the government forces have blocked their advance," senior police officer Mahsoudullah Akbari told Xinhua.
According to locals and security officials a heavy gun battle has been continuing and the government forces backed by helicopter gunships have been targeting Taliban hideouts.
"All the shops are closed and there is no power and no water in the city," Kunduz resident Rahmatullah told Xinhua.
Exactly one year ago Taliban militants briefly captured Kunduz city leaving thousands of families homeless, besides killing and injuring countless others.
"Forty-two injured persons with majority of them civilians have been taken to hospital for medical treatment since Monday morning, and two people got killed," head of provincial health department Marzia Yaftali told Xinhua.
Taliban militants, this time, according to senior police official in Kunduz Province Shir Aziz Kamawal, have taken positions in residential areas, making it difficult for security forces to clean the area.
"Since the Taliban rebels have been using innocent civilians as human shields, the security forces are carefully moving to dislodge militants from their hideouts without hurting civilians," Kamawal told Xinhua.
