The Taliban on Sunday launched a coordinated attack on the Afghan city of Kunduz, Reuters reported. A senior police official said fighters from the group attacked from four different directions before entering the city. Fighting is still going on in and around the city, the official said, adding that police and security forces “are putting all our efforts together to push them back”.

The Taliban has made repeated efforts to take control of Kunduz from government forces. In October 2015, the group freed 500 inmates from a local prison in their third attempt that year to capture the city.

The attack comes as the Taliban steps up its offensives in parts of the country, including the southern province of Helmand, where it is attempting to take control of Laskhar Gah, the provincial capital.