This is much like a strategy employed by the North Vietnamese/Viet Cong employed in a Tet-like offensive.  It remains to be seen how long this battle/invasion lasts and the numbers involved, and whether the taliban can hold the territory.  The Afghan police forces sustained huge losses- 116 dead and many wounded.

The biggest news is that the police fought back and inflicted significant loss to the taliban, many of their senior fighters, as well as the military elite of the Pakistani taliban.  35 all told.  These are ripe conditions for the Americans to step it up and leave craters where once stood taliban.

This is a very serious battle that coincides with the fall of Raqqa- the last city held by ISIL.  This is the end of one of the largest battles of the 21 century.

These stories should be on the front page.