credential
アフガニスタン政府は，タリバンに占領されていたクンドゥズを取り戻したようです。タリバンは，新たなリーダーの元で活動を続けており，クンドゥズを支配したのも，自らの力を示すためであったと推察されております。
記事の中で気になった単語は"credential"です。『Wisdom英和辞典第三版』（三省堂）によると「（身分･資格･成績などの）証明書, 信任状」などという意味がありました。「信用･信頼」が原義である"credit"の派生語のようです。ODには"A qualification, achievement, quality, or aspect of a person’s background, especially when used to indicate their suitability for something"と定義されております。
Afghan forces fight to retake Kunduz from Taliban
The seizure of Kunduz has a huge propaganda value for the insurgents. Pictures of Taliban fighters hoisting their trademark white flags in the city's squares and main buildings have been circulating on social media.
The capture of one of the most strategic and richest cities of Afghanistan will not only cement the credentials of the new Taliban leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour - it will also embolden the Taliban in general.
The Taliban's main challenge will now be to hold the city. The way the Taliban behave and govern the city, even if it is for a few days, will demonstrate how far the group has changed since the fall of their regime in 2001.
Meanwhile, they will also try to expand their control in the neighbouring provinces where they already control huge chunks of territory.
