Taliban launch major assault on Afghan city of Kunduz

Taliban fighters have launched a major coordinated attack on the northern Afghan city of Kunduz.

Members of the militant group managed to enter the city and have holed up in houses after staging an attack from four directions at once overnight on Sunday.

Residents reported there was fighting in the streets and while witnesses in the city also said that several Afghan army bases had been overrun.

However spokesmen for the the army and Afghanistan's NATO-led defence force both said there were no signs that the Taliban were set to take the city.

Sheer Ali Kamawal, commander of the Kunduz police zone, said the attack began at around midnight (1930 GMT Sunday) and fighting was going on in and around the city.

Afghanistan's interior ministry said reinforcements were being sent.

"The Taliban are inside some civilian houses and we have to carry out operations very carefully," said police spokesman Mahfozullah Akbari.

In Kabul, Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, spokesman for Afghanistan's NATO-led force, said he was aware of reports of fighting in Kunduz but said he had not seen evidence to suggest the city was under "significant attack".

The attack underlines the instability of Afghanistan, where government forces control only around two thirds of the country.

Taliban fighters have stepped up attacks in different parts of the country in recent weeks, including the southern province of Helmand,where they have been threatening the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.

Kuduz was previously captured by Taliban a year ago before being freed by government forces.