The Taliban announced on Oct. 13 that it had withdrawn from the northern Afghan city of Kunduz after 15 days of occupation.
During the takeover, the Taliban destroyed government facilities, stole military hardware, and freed criminals from the city’s two prisons. The siege was a blow to Afghan troops, who were unable to defend the city without the aid of U.S. airstrikes and special operations ground forces.
The Kunduz siege marks the first time the Taliban was able use urban warfare to take over and hold an Afghan city since the war started in 2001.