the u.s. launches air strikes in the afghan city of kund use as government troops try to take it back

taliban. [ ♪ ] we begin in afghanistan where a counterattack against the taliban continues in the northern city of kund use. fighting is focused around the city's airport, one of the few remaining places under government control. u.s. forces have lunched air strikes close to the airport to protect coalition troops to keep if in government hands. stephanie dekker has more. >> there's no government troops left here. taliban fighter are in control of large parts of kunduz city. here they are raising the flag in the city square. >> in battle is not over. the afghan government announced a major military operation to recapture kunduz. >> in the first place, we should take care of civilian casualties, we pay attention and will continue. they have conceded heavy damages. i don't want to go into the detail of the operations.

>> special forces have been brought in, the u.s. military confirming an air strike on the outskirts of the city on tuesday morning. >> it's proving difficult because the taliban has set up booby traps along the way. as part of the takeover on monday. taliban gunmen broke open the prison. releasing inmates. taliban commanders issued a statement, telling residents not to worry, and to go about their daily lives, it will be difficult with a major operation under way. >> it's one of the most significant territorial gains taliban fighters have made since 2001, when the government was deposed. it coincides with ashraf ghani's first president and the first year that afghan forces face the taliban alone. at counter-terrorism

organization remained. a strong message to whoever is watching that 14 years after being deposed and battling coalition and afghan forces. the taliban can take control of a major city meanwhile, the u.s. says it is confident that afghan forces can take on the taliban. rosalind jordan has more. >> reporter: there were many questions raised at tuesday's pentagon briefing about whether the afghan military is up to the task of defending the groups. this is a response from the spokesperson. >> we have seen the afghan security forces face challenging times. and also rise to that challenge. in several occasions over the last few months. you can attest to that. it's a difficult fight for them. they are risking their lives every day.

and our effort to train them, provide support for them has helped. they are in a better position today, because of support provided to them. >> the pentagon spokesperson said that u.s. forces, as well as other forces from the coalition are in the kunduz area, providing training and assistance to the afghan military. however, he was not able to say whether more military action may follow on to help the afghan military retake control of kunduz. >> there has been gun battles between u.n. troops and armed militias in the central african republic. the u.n. commissioner for human rights says the latest violence was catastrophic. let's look back at what started the violence. a coalition of groups took the towns in the north and central regions of car in 2012. in 2013, a christian, was overthrown by silica rebels, and it continued clashes between the

supporters in a christian and rebel group known as anti-ballacker. a peacekeeping force harass tried to curb the violence but forced 400,000 from their homes. the u.n. is not welcome parts of bangui, resident put up roadblocks to keep peacekeepers out of their neighbourhoods. u.n. troops took them down. >> the population and desperate. and doesn't believe in these forces any more. >> we want a departure of international forces that do nothing. we want crimes. a u.n. spokesman told al jazeera that they could do more, but they are fully engaged. a spokesman says the u.n. is working with community leaders and government officials to put an end to violence in the capital. over the weekend.

a muslim taxi driver was killed. that set off fighting in the streets, leaving 40 dead, scores injured and tens of thousands leaving the capital. in the chaos, some 500 prisoners escaped from the gaol. >> as bad as things are in bangui, it pales in comparison to what is happening in the east. hundreds are killed, if not thousands. we are scratching the surface in documenting that. there's a bush war happening. >> we are travelling and we are coming across villages in which civilians are being killed. homes burnt, and this stuff is not documented. >> on monday protesters marched to the presidential pals, demanding the interim president resign and the central african republic army beredeployed. >> the former president was accused of trying to take her power away.

when rebels took over the government. they assassinated democracy, the country was reeling from the consequences. >> president obama says he'll use all means available to defeat i.s.i.l. chairing a summit, the u.s. president said it would be a long-term campaign. diplomatic editor james bays reports from new york. >> reporter: a special meeting at the u.n. to boost the coalition against i.s.i.l. >> i believe what we have here today is the emergence of a movement that is united by the mission of degrading and ultimately destroying i.s.i.l. >> reporter: but if you listen to the words the president chose, you see the problem, there's not as much progress on the ground as the u.s. would like. >> this is not an easy task. we have i.s.i.l. taking root. >> reporter: taking root across large swathes of syria in iraq, including the city of raqqa, and

mosul in iraq. the iraq prime minister said the government was making progress. in the last year they retook tikrit but lost mardy. -- ramadi. all the while foreign fighters have been streaming in. . >> my government lass reduced foreign terrorist fighters and recorded 20,000 names from 100 countries. >> i.s.i.s. success is the reason for success, it's attracting people because it created the state-like entity and the inability of the united states and the coalition to dismantle that state is the biggest deficiency of the strategy. >> lack of progress is not the only problem. there's not unity among the international community. russia's foreign minister didn't take part in the meeting. iran was not invited. on wednesday, the u.n. security

council will discuss very similar issues in a meeting organized by russia, and the current president of the council. two separate meetings, one central point of disagreement. the russians say everyone should join with president bashar al-assad to fight i.s.i.l. the u.s. says bashar al-assad is part of the problem not the solution. it's that one point hindering the fight against i.s.i.l., and complicating efforts to bring peace to syria. that special meeting coincides with a new congressional report on i.s.i.l., saying nearly 30,000 foreigners travelled to iraq and syria to fight since 2011. a study says the government has been failing to stop its citizens. the unprecedented speed in which americans have been radicalized is straining the ability to monitor suspects. we have this report. >> even as u.s. president obama appealed for help from abroad in

fighting i.s.i.l., a report at home finds that the united states lacks a national strategy in dealing with this issue. a congressional committee estimates some 30,000 foreign fighters flue into syria and iraq since 2011, double the estimate we were hearing a year ago. it finds that the united states law enforcement is not keeping up with the pace of recruitment, that it lacks the proper tools, given that i.s.i.l. is now using secure websites and apps to recruit persons and others. the report found 4500 of foreign fighters came from western countries t 250 of them falling from the united states. and it calls for the united nations and allies, no doubt one thing that president obama was looking for in convening the meeting at the united nations. >> the yemeni president has given his address at the assembly in new york.

the yemeni people are doing all they can. >> the yemeni people oppose attempts about it houthis. as well as in other cities in yemen. the people have upheld the law, to welcome the natural resistance and harmed forces who are the partners in a drive against the houthis. >> a spokesman for the south yemen community in the u.s. are hoping for a referendum to give autonomy for people in the south. >> we know he is genuine in a desire for political progress, and he has shown that in the past. he continues to show that. he has shown a great deal on the international community, and support for the people of aden and south yemen, resistance fighters liberating areas.

we are seeing positive signs. the political process will require new resist ants fighters on the ground and leaders on the ground work with the current state, with president abd-rabbu mansour hadi, for stability and security, and in return we hope it will give us the opportunity for a referendum. it doesn't have to be the separation, but the ability to decide, even after a transition period. >> u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon condemned an attack killing 131 people. these are said to show the aftermath at a village in the red sea port. it was controlled by a houthi police station. al jazeera is not able to independently verify it. >> there are reports of tens of

houthi rebels killed in an air strike. clashes are reported between pro government forces and houthi fighters on the evening and operations have resumed at the main oil refinery in the city of aden. the facility has been closed since the saudi-led coalition began bombing yemen in iraq. they are producing half of their previous capacity. >> more to come. why a decision to support of the syrian government is serving as an uncomfortable reminder for some russian soldiers. >> a show of support for the planned parenthood organization that plans funding

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welcome back. a quick reminder of the top stories on al jazeera. the pentagon says more air strikes have been launched to protect coalition troops at the kunduz airport. government forces launched a countereffective after fighters seized most of the area on monday. >> there has been gun battles between u.n. have troops and balaka. they have killed at least 40 people and president obama says he'll use all means available to defeat i.s.i.l., chairing a meeting on terrorism in new york. the u.s. president said it will be a long-term campaign. >> now, most world leaders today are using social media to get

their message across. they have a huge presence on platforms like facebook, youtube and twitter. the 45 highest profile speakers have 100 million followers on twitter between them. president obama has 68 million at had@president obama act. the brazilian president has more than 4 million followers, and 3.5 million following the turkish prime minister. and the kenyan president has more than 1 million twitter followers. social media experts urge caution. shaun powers says followers can be brought, and what matters is the message politicians can get across with his tweets. >> there are services that for a relatively inexpensive fee will help you get thousands, if

not million of followers. you see them climb the ranks as prime ministers announce they'll one for office. their accounts jump in followers, and it's a sign that they have head is number of services to recruit people to follow them. i'm preaching to folks to be caution about trusting the numbers. what matters. it was a twitter influence, it someone's message is picked up by local systems. traditional broadcast media, and they use information from twitter to start a discussion that otherwise will not be discussed. the example here is hillary clinton's defeats about the president of china's women's rights summit being shameless, it raised awareness about her accusation of hypocrisy.

that's how you could see twitter influencing local news environment ukranian president petro porashenko used his speech at the u.n. to launch an attack on russia, highlighting open and unprovoked aggression from russia, which he accuses of helping separatist fighters. >> there's no doubt that this is an aggressive war against my country, ukraine. russian leadership orders to take you have insignias of military servicemen and identification mark much military equipment. to abandon soldiers captured on the battlefield and used mobile crematorium to eliminate traces of its crime on ukranian sole. >> russia appears to be getting

more involved in syria, increasing military support for the government. as peter sharp explains from moscow. many see echos on uncomfortable issues. the sudden expansion. latest intelligence in court suggests an air force regiment with 28 fighter jets is deployed, along with a significant number of m 24 hoips. reminders that russia fought a war. russia's 10 year battle in afghanistan ended in an ignomin. >> us support. in is russia's vietnam, with a legacy of disillusionment and betrayal. >> in his apartment. he picks through souvenirs and

reminders of his deployment in afghanistan. >> we are the forgotten, we are still forgotten, we fulfil international duty, we did for the mother land what it, as usual ordered us to do. many guys, most of the guys are unhappy because of this war. they drink or are disabled, and the state does not pay attention to any of them. >> there are if you monuments to the war in afghanistan. one in moscow. those that lost loved ones don't need reminders. that man's cousin was shot down in a helicopter. >> he died a slow death, and the boys na got out of the helicopter, they were tortured. his death was a sorrow, that's why i'm against the deployment. in is going to be a second afghanistan. >> critics of the president say vladimir putin misjudged the

mood of many as he ups military support for the syrian army. >> the soviet union was a totalitarian state. and our president is copying soviet waste, making decisions personnel for a small number of advisors, after the meeting with president obama, vladimir putin ruled out the eninvolvementment of russian combat troops on the ground and is considering air strikes. as high level weapons poor into syria from russia, critics here are worried another afghanistan adventure is not laying further down the road. >> at least three people have been killed, 20 injured in clashes in peru. violence broke out. police opened fire on the group

there has been protests across dozens of cities in the u.s. over the possible shut down of the planned parenthood organization. the health care provider receives more than $5 million much tax payer funding. it may end after it emerged they sold aborted foetal tissue for reference. >> the president of planned parenthood cecil richards, about why her organization should retain and receive 150,000 in funds. as of late they became a target because of video that surfaced that show executives of planned parenthood offering baby parts or foetal tissue for research for sale and profiting from that. it outraged war-makers as a

result, cecil richards faced tough questioning as she made the arrangement this they do more than provide abortions. >> reporter: they came to capital hill with a message, don't defund planned parenthood saying their og access to affordable health care. courtney was in graduate school suffering endomeetry oatize. she turned to planned parenthood when she couldn't afford the medication. >> i turned to planned parenthood to get the medication. >> reporter: not everyone sees planned parenthood as a benevolent organization. they provide abortion violating

some members after video safrs exposed planned parenthood executives discussing the abortion of foetal tissue. many if congress are incensed and threaten to cut $450 in federal funding for the clinics, and are demanding answers from the president of the planned parenthood appearing before a congressional committee. >> outrageous accusations levelled against planned parenthood based on heavily doctored videos are offensive and untrue. >> the taxpayers have a right to now how this money is being spent. >> absolutely. >> and how taxpayer dollars are used to free up services that you provide that are aberrant. >> but others in congress say

the hearing is nothing more than political theatre, and an attack on women reproductive choices going on since abortion was legalized in the u.s. in 1973. >> what is really under attack is the right of women to control their own body, reproduction. courtenay agrees. because of her medical continue, her chance at motherhood would never have happened without its support. >> now that debit is unlikely to end, and is part of a wider debate on how the federal government spends it's money, it's partisan. democrats favour more funding for domestic and entitlement programs. republicans favour spending on defense. as a result, planned parenthood is the latest target in this

debate. but it can tell you that american opinion seems to be on side 6789 currently 65" of americans believe they should receive funding. 29% believe it should be defunded. president obama is backing planned certainty hood and says that any legislation in either chamber, he will veto surgeons in london say they have made a break through in curing adult blind nls. many suffer adult sight lose. it involves taking stem sells and growing them on to a match of tissue. >> nepal's tourism industry is considering rules to make mt everest safer. those that are disabled or elderly could be banned.

it came after an avalanche killed 18 people at the everest base camp. it may reduce millions that nepal makes by selling climbing permits. >> whales, dolphins, sharks and sea life are to be given better protection off the coast of new zealand. fishing will be banned in what is hoped will become a large ocean sanctuary in the pacific. >> gerald tan has the details. >> this is one of the most isolated places on earth. hundreds of marine species lurk in the water. many unique, some in danger. >> this is one of the most significant announcements. this is one of the last pristine sites. it's an area uninhabited by humans. >> reporter: the prime minister

revealed plans to the ocean sanctuary during ha visit. saying it encompasses 620,000 square kilometres. >> this is an area twice the size of our land mass and 50 times the size of our largest national park. it is a special place, and we want to keep it that way. >> the announcement gained attention. >> just over an hour ago the united nations, and prime minister of nez kee made an announcement we can all celebrate. not every one is celebrating, mining and fishing is banned. some industries are upset. the government says benefits outweigh the costs. >> i'm confident the majority of new zealanders say it matters a loss, but well within a global contributions. >> new zealand says the area would be politicized using satellite data. new laws expected to come into

fors within the next year to protect the region for generations to come. >> a quick reminder, you can keep up to date with all the news on the web site. there it is on the screeg. aljazeera.com. hour on "america tonight". playing for keeps. >> you have to try saving the village were a blizzard. >> jacob ward on the game that could save a community also tonight - the pain hidden behind the screen. >> can you tell me what happens to your right arm and the fingers on your left hand christof putzel investigates the risks workers take to build popular