North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has launched Trident Juncture Military Exercise in Italy to test the alliance’s ability to respond to new security threats.

It will also demonstrate NATO’s capability to deal with conventional military engagements to more subtle hybrid warfare techniques and propaganda.

It is the biggest military exercise conducted by alliance in past 13 years as it has mobilized around 36,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen from more than 30 countries of NATO.

 

Key facts

Taliban militants have captured the strategic northern Afghan city of Kunduz in a massive assault involving hundreds of fighters.

This massive attack comes a day before the first anniversary of President Ashraf Ghani’s unity government. It is also one of the massive attack undertaken by Taliban militants after formal end of US-NATO coalition mission in Afghanistan in December 2014.

Setback: Kunduz is also the first provincial capital to be seized by the Taliban militants after they had lost their power after the US-led invasion in 2001. The fall of Kunduz marks a major setback for Afghan government forces who are struggling to combat the