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Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: IQBAL LATIF who wrote (41505)	11/9/2001 8:17:57 PM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Respond to of 50167

Anti Taliban Northern Alliance, whose forces enter Mazar-e-Sharif Friday under the heavy cover of US bombing, will concentrate on strengthening its position in the northern parts of Afghanistan before making an attempt to capture Kabul, an Afghan opposition spokesman told The Nation Friday. Claiming that at least 90 Taliban troops were killed in battle for Mazar-e-Sharif, Sibghatullah Zaki, spokesman for General Rashid Dostam, said the Northern Alliance would welcome US ground troops in Mazar-e-Sharif. “If they want to come and join us to fight against extremists, they are welcome,” Zaki said, “but not if they are coming here to occupy our land.” He said Northern Alliance was not against anyone who comes over to fight foreign terrorists in their country. Zaki admitted that Dostam troops had to face a stiff resistance from Taliban forces. The fate of Taliban commanders in Mazar-e-Sharif Mullah Dadullah, Mullah Faisal, and Mullah Qadir was not known yet. He said there was a lot of pressure on local commanders from the local population that welcomed the Northern Alliance troops into Mazar. He claimed that within last couple of days about 500 Taliban soldiers have been killed and another 400 have been arrested. He said thousands of Taliban soldiers under the local commanders have defected to them. The Northern Alliance claimed to have captured Qala-i-Jangi, the airport, Deh Daji helicopter base, and some other key positions in Mazar-e-Sharif. When asked to comment on Taliban’s claim that only southern part of Mazar had been captured, Zaki said Mazar was not a big city and the whole of the town was under their command now. Zaki said the Northern Alliance, after consolidating its position, would march towards other north Afghanistan towns in Shabargan, Faryal, Smangan, Kunduz, and Balghan provinces. On the Kabul front, the forces of General Fahim have not gained much as the NA is concentrating on northern Afghanistan.