News analysis: Violence arises in N Afghanistan

KABUL, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan Northern province of Kunduz is becoming more and more insecure as insurgent attacks have rapidly increased since last couple of months.

On July 26, 2009, the running mate of incumbent President Karzai narrowly escaped a life attack in the province. Prior to this, an official of the Independent Election Commission was shot dead in Kunduz two weeks earlier.

When Taliban controlled the country before 2001, Kunduz was the center of their military command in Northern Afghanistan.

The recent consecutive attacks in Kunduz have not only alarmed Afghan Defense Ministry. There are speculations that the fighters of Tahir Yaldosh's Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan have arrived in Kunduz in large number after the military offensive of Pakistan Army in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

The German Forces, deployed in Kunduz, last week started an operation. Franz Josef Jung, German Defense Minster in Berlin, says it's the biggest military offensive by German forces in the area.

Spokesman of the Afghan Defense Ministry General Zahir Azimi ina joint press conference with the spokesman of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) General Tremely last week expressed concern over the increasing militancy in Kunduz.