A madrassa in Dasht-e-Archi in Kunduz province was targeted at about 11am on Monday in an Afghan air forces’ airstrike, officials confirmed.

According to residents, over 200 people were gathered at the madrassa at the time of the airstrike.

Provincial police confirmed the incident and said a high-ranking Taliban official from the Quetta Shura, Mullah Beryani, had also been present at the time of the airstrike.

Officials confirm over 25 people were killed and wounded but residents say the casualty toll is much higher.

Two years ago extra security forces were deployed to Dasht-e-Archi district in Kunduz to clear the area of Taliban, but heavy clashes have been ongoing.

TOLOnews journalist Tamim Hamid recently visited the area and found the continued clashes have forced hundreds of families to flee the area.

Local security officials in Dasht-e-Archi told Hamid they have been unable to regain control of the area as Taliban are equipped with modern weapons and a large number of Taliban commanders are stationed there.

Security officials also said the Taliban has five large training centers in the area. 

“Dasht-e-Archi is a very strong center for the insurgents. They have training centers in a few places where their fighters receive training for military, tactical, weapons use, planting of mines and other things,” said Niaz Mohammad, the district police chief.

“Dasht-e-Archi is over five areas: Kokcha area, Talqan, Khanabad, Dasht-e-Abadan and Imam Sahib district. We can say Dasht-e-Archi is a strategic point both for us and the enemy,” Hamid Yusufi, commander of the national army operation said on Saturday.

In Dasht-e-Archi district, there are 57 schools and Madrassas of which only 14 schools are in areas under government control, while the rest are in areas under Taliban control, said officials.