As the Afghan government and military hastily scramble forces to attempt to retake the northern provincial capital of Kunduz city, the Taliban has claimed that it seized three additional districts in the neighboring province of Takhar.

The Taliban reports cannot be independently confirmed as media reporting in the Afghan north has focused on Kunduz. But in the past, the Taliban has been accurate in its reporting of districts it has taken.

On Sept. 29, as its fighters stormed Kunduz city, the Taliban claimed that its “combatants conquered the district of Ishkamish in northern Takhar province of Afghanistan, seizing the entire control [sic] of the district after an hours-long fighting on Monday.”

“[O]ther government and military installations were also damaged, while those stationed in the installations suffered fatal losses,” the Taliban claimed.

Today, the Taliban said it “managed to overrun Yangi Qala district center during an armed assault [sic] early morning hours today.” Afghan forces abandoned their posts, the Taliban claimed, and the “district admin building, police HQ and other buildings are currently under the control of Mujahideen.”

Also today, the Taliban said it “stormed the Bangi district and seized the district’s administration buildings. With the district fallen, the enemy ran away leaving vehicles filled with arms and ammo behind as Mujahideen intercepted them.”

If the loss of Yangi Qala, Ishkamish, and Bangi districts is confirmed, then it is a clear indication that the Taliban are serious about taking control of not just Kunduz city, but the entire Afghan north. The Taliban are effectively in control of Kunduz province, with only Imam Sahib contested (Khanabad district fell to the Taliban yesterday along with Kunduz). The Taliban are also in control of a handful of districts in Badakhshan and contest several districts in Baghlan.

Updated to include the Taliban’s latest claim that it seized Bangi district in Takhar.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

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