KABUL - The Kunduz fact-finding commission, appointed by President Ashraf Ghani, on Saturday released their findings into the recent fall of the city to the Taliban and said there had been no government-linked conspiracy behind the incident but that the Taliban had received orders from Pakistan.

Commission chairman, former NDS chief, Amrullah Saleh said Kunduz war had been planned by an "army and an intelligence service" and that the Taliban were taking orders during the siege from Peshawar.

Saleh also stated that the commission found evidence of a "grey network" in Kunduz that was anti-Taliban but in favor of a weak government. He said this "network" was running a parallel government in Kunduz and that it had support from within the Kabul administration.

Saleh also pointed fingers at the National Security Council and said the commission's "first line of criticism is with the president's office (national security council). We will not hide anything."

He said the commission found that the government made a big mistake when Taliban took control of Chardara and Dasht-i-Archi districts. He said troops failed to carry out operations to retake these areas, adding that an Afghan National Army commander has been arrested over this and is being interrogated.

According to him, local police had been under Taliban pressure for three months ahead of the incident but had not been given any back up.

The report stated that leading up to and during the fall of the city, security force members had been well equipped and had had enough arms and ammunition.

However, Saleh said that had it not been for the U.S that launched an air strike against the Taliban during the siege, the insurgents would have gained more ground by taking control of the airport and the entire city.

Saleh said the primary reason for the collapse of the city had been failure in management by government and a gap in their command structure. He said: "Failure of leadership at strategic (Kabul) and tactical levels are the main cause."

He went on to say that despite everything they have been through, Kunduz residents want nothing else except a strong government and security. He said "residents still support government."

The commission also found that differences among MPs, corruption and ghost forces were to blame and that "hundreds of (illegal) armed men, land grabbers and criminal groups are active in Kunduz."

The commission in turn called on government to take practical measures to overcome problems in Kunduz.

However, one team member rejected claims that the U.S took the war to north to suppress northern neighbors. The commission said these claims are baseless and that had it not been for U.S support the Taliban would have taken the airport as well.

Saleh meanwhile ensured the nation that the commission had hidden nothing and all findings are in the report. He said government has promised the commission it will follow up on its recommendations.

The five-member team was appointed last month by Ghani to investigate the fall of the city to the Taliban.

Saleh said "the commission had been independent and impartial," and their main aim had been to find out whether there had been a plot or conspiracy or whether it had been government's mismanagement that led to the siege.

He said the commission had in no way been pressurized into making changes in their report and that the president will submit his decision within the next few days.  (Tolonews)