The Taliban may have captured the city of Kunduz in a matter of hours, but actually seizing it required extensive preparation and mobilization that likely began at least two years prior to its Sept. 27 assault on the city. These preparations included a buildup of forces in the area and guerrilla tactics to wear down Afghan security forces protecting the city. But they also involved simply identifying and taking advantage of assets that local security forces lacked: support from the local population and adequate numbers and funding to counter the Taliban. Lacking both, the security forces in Kunduz could not hold the city. Though Afghan forces recaptured the strategic city in the north, the brief loss was a sobering reminder that without local support and adequate resources, the Afghan government will not be able to keep other crucial areas from falling to the Taliban.