Afghan official reports bomb targets foreign troop convoy — Associated Press

Taliban militants claim a foreign troops were among those killed.

The gubernatorial spokesman said the operation was launched after insurgents attacked security posts in the area. One rocket hit a petrol station, triggering a huge fire in the area, he said.

“The gunfight and rocket barrage have caused casualties”.

Earlier in August, a Taliban suicide bomber attacked a checkpoint near the entrance to the worldwide airport in Kabul, killing five people.

He said there are civilian casualties but the numbers are unclear.

The attack happened a few days after Taliban had seized the Kunduz city which was first a of its kind in 14 years.

“We have focused on a broader security plan”. The site of the attack has been cordoned off by security forces.

The city was swarming with Taliban fighters racing police vehicles, who overran the governor’s compound and the local police headquarters.

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has ordered the Afghan troops to protect civilians during the crackdown on militants. “Our security forces are making fresh gains”.

Officials in Kunduz say troops are still working to clear insurgents from pockets within the city. The current Afghan government risks losing nationwide trust, if it continues to alienate tribes that often implicitly back the Taliban.