Afghan officials said the government forces recaptured key areas of northern Kunduz city from Taliban militants early Thursday.

"AFG Special Security Forces now controls Kunduz City, it is retaken and being cleared from terrorists, heavy causality to the enemy," Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi tweeted early Thursday.

Afghan security officials said Taliban's shadow governor Maulvi Salam, his deputy governor Zabihullah and Haris, the head of Lashkar-i-Taiba, were killed in fighting, reported Pajhwok.

The city had been cleared of insurgents by 4 a.m. local time on Thursday, Kunduz police chief Gen. Mohammad Qasim Janghalbagh told Tolo News.

The forces have retaken control of police headquarters, the prison and other parts of the city. "The operation will continue until all insurgents have cleared from the province," said Janghalbagh.

Taliban insurgents took control of Kunduz province's capital Kunduz city on Monday after a fierce battle with government troops in a stunning attack, reported BBC.  The Afghan forces, with the help of U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, killed hundreds of militants during the operations.

"U.S. forces conducted two airstrikes Sept. 29, the first at approximately 9:15 a.m. in the outskirts of Kunduz city, and the second at approximately 11:30 p.m. in the vicinity of the Kunduz airport. U.S. forces conducted three airstrikes Sept. 30, one at approximately 1 a.m. (the strike mentioned above), and two additional at approximately 5 p.m. all in the vicinity of the Kunduz airport. The five airstrikes were conducted to eliminate threats to coalition and Afghan forces," Resolute Support mission said in a statement, according to Khama Press.

President Ashraf Ghani also replaced Kunduz's current governor and appointed Hamdulla Daneshi as acting governor of Northern Province. "I want to reassure my countrymen that the situation in Kunduz is under control. No need to let the enemy create panic through terror," Ghani said on Tuesday.

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