Taliban militants by expanding attacks in various regions of the country want to have a stronger position in their potential talks with the Afghan government, critics said on Wednesday, days after the Afghan security forces repelled fresh offensives by the group on the strategic city of Kunduz in the northeast of the country including attacks on government troops in Baghlan and Faryab provinces.

On Tuesday, the Afghan special operation forces launched clearance operations in the city of Pul-e-Khumri, the center of Baghlan Province following days of battles with the Taliban outfits.

On September 1, at least 20 Afghan security force members and five civilians were killed and 80 others, mostly civilians, were wounded in Taliban attack on the city of Kunduz.

Kunduz came under attack for the third time at a time that the US and the Taliban wrapped up the ninth round of talks in Doha in which the militant group is pushing for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.

“Some of the internal incursions between the elements who are in rivalry with each other pave the way for the infiltration of the enemy here and it is very unfortunate. We hope that a permanent solution is found for this issue,” Takhar governor Abdul Haq Shafaq said.

“When it comes to peace talks, definitely the Taliban are struggling to score more points. Secondly, the enemy is an enemy. Of course, they think about more maneuvers and taking over territory,” said MP Mohammad Abduh.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, Fawad Aman, said the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces are on high alert to tackle any security threat in any region of the country.

“Our operational planning covers all regions of Afghanistan, but we are focusing more on those areas where the activities of enemies of peace and stability of the Afghan people are more,” Mr. Aman said.