by Tariq Majidi
Addressing a joint press conference on Saturday, Ministry of Defense spokesman Dawlat Waziri said that the Taliban used their own families as human shields in this week's operation in Kunduz and that a number of family members of Taliban commanders were among the dead.
Along with Waziri, Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland, Resolute Support Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications, also confirmed many of those killed were Taliban family members.
They both said the Afghan special forces and NATO advisers had targeted a gathering of Taliban commanders at one of their houses in the Boz Kandahari area in Kunduz.
Waziri said that the Taliban "shows no mercy with regards to their own families" as meetings are often held at their houses.
Both Waziri and Cleveland said the Taliban commanders had been plotting yet another attack on Kunduz city.
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