US sends B-52 bombers to Afghanistan in attempt to stop Taleban advance

New Delhi - Fierce fighting breaks out in Kunduz city.

US President Joe Biden has ordered B-52 bombers and Spectre gunships to target Taliban terrorists in Afghanistan who are advancing towards three key cities.

The Cold War-era strategic bomber first flew in the 1950s but is still used due to its 70,000lb payload and range of more than 8,000 miles.

They are being supported by the AC-130 Spectre gunships which are armed with a 25mm Gatling gun, a 40mm Bofors cannon and a 105mm M102 cannon -- which can provide pinpoint accurate fire from the air, according to a Daily Mail report.

Reports said the B-52s and AC-130s are targeting insurgents around Kandahar, Herat and Lashkar Gar in Helmand Province.

The US Air Force continues to aid the Afghan air force's bombing of Taleban targets in southern Helmand and Kandahar provinces, as Afghan security forces try to prevent a Taliban takeover, the report said.

The Taleban have been advancing across Afghanistan after the US-led coalition pulled out of the war-torn nation, leaving the country's struggling defence forces to deal with the insurgents.

Meanwhile, Afghan forces and the Taliban were fighting fiercely Sunday in the centre of Kunduz, a major provincial capital, officials and an AFP correspondent reported.

"Fierce street-to-street fighting is ongoing in different parts of the city. Some security forces have retreated towards the airport," Amruddin Wali, a member of the Kunduz provincial council, told AFP.

On Saturday, 11 civilians were killed, and over 40 were injured in clashes between Taleban and Afghan security forces in Kunduz.

• Asia