Death toll from Taliban raid on Kunduz airport hits 50

The attack will likely renew concerns about the capabilities of the Afghan security forces, who have been stretched by a stubborn insurgency since the global military coalition withdrew most of its troops and turned over responsibility for the country’s security to Afghan forces at the end of a year ago.

Those killed in the attack include 39 civilian males, of whom at least four were boys, 13 Afghan National Army and two Afghan National Police”, the statement said, adding that “The majority of the deceased appeared to be civilian shopkeepers working at the bazaar and civilian customers.

Taliban militants have attacked a civilian and military air base in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, killing around 50 people. The airport compound houses Afghan military and civilian sections as well as a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation base.

The face of one of them is obscured with blue ink for unknown reasons.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said in Islamabad on Wednesday that he was ready to seek peace with those elements of the insurgents that lay down their arms and participate in a democratic process.

Afghan National Army soldiers keep watch after clashes against security forces at Kandahar Airport on December 9, 2015. Pakistan, which is believed to wield considerable influence over the Taliban, hosted a milestone first round of peace negotiations in July.

But the talks stalled when the Taliban belatedly confirmed the death of longtime leader Mullah Omar, sparking a power struggle within the movement that led to a group splintering off into a rival faction last month.

Already without a permanent defence minister due to conflicts within Ghani’s national unity government, the country now has no spy chief just as the Kandahar raid underlined the Taliban’s ability to inflict serious damage on its forces.

The Taliban released an audio message Saturday purportedly from Mansour, vehemently rejecting reports of any shootout as “enemy propaganda”.

They briefly captured the strategic northern city of Kunduz in September in their most spectacular victory in 14 years.