Special forces from the U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan battled insurgents on Wednesday near the northern city of Kunduz that was captured by the Taliban this week, a coalition spokesman and Afghan official said.
It was the first report of on-the-ground clashes between Taliban militants and foreign troops supporting their Afghan allies during three days of sometimes heavy fighting for control of the strategic city of 300,000.
The swift re-taking of the city promised by President Ashraf Ghani has failed to materialise, as Taliban fighters dig into positions around the city and mine roads to prevent reinforcements from reaching weary Afghan forces.
They have also placed large containers across streets to further limit people's movement in and out of Kunduz, said Ahmad Sahil, a local television producer who was inside the city.
In another setback for the government, nearly 200 Afghan security personnel abandoned Bala Hissar hill, a key outpost in Kunduz that overlooks the city's main roads, after running out of ammunition and food, said an Afghan security official.
Troops fled the strategic position in pick-up trucks and Humvees. Dozens headed for shelter at Kunduz airport, where thousands of police and soldiers have already retreated in the last two days of fighting.
To the south, in neighbouring Baghlan province, a group of 800 Afghan troops on its way to reinforce Kunduz repelled a Taliban ambush and was waiting for bomb squads to clear the road into the city, said Afghan army officer Sayed Ahmad Mujahid.
They had only advanced about one kilometre during the day, he added.
