M A I N   N E W S

Taliban lose key district

Islamabad, November 3
In the first major defeat at the hands of opposition forces since the launch of US military operation in Afghanistan, the ruling Taliban today lost a key district near the town of Mazar-i-Sharif, but said they would not shy away from fighting the war with the USA even during Ramzan.

Continuing the offensive on Taliban targets, US forces launched strings of airstrikes in and around the village of Starqash, 40 km from Kabul, as Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said hundreds of more US special troops were ready to infiltrate into Afghanistan to put pressure on the harbourers of terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden.

The Taliban also hanged three supporters of former Afghan minister Hamid Karzai, an envoy of former King Zahir Shah, who were captured yesterday along with 22 others in Deharwad district of Uruzgan province, Afghan Islamic Press reported.

It said the whereabouts of Karzai and the rest of his followers, who had entered the country on a secret mission to counter the Taliban, were not known.

After weeks of fighting, the opposition forces captured large portions of Aq-Kupruk, 70 km south of Mazar-i-Sharif, after a three-hour battle during which 800 Taliban fighters changed sides, Gen Atiqullah Baryaalai of the Northern Alliance said.

There was no word from the militia on the opposition claims.

Fighting close to Mazar-i-Sharif has been at stalemate for weeks. Pentagon officials in the USA said the fight for the city had been “difficult and tough” and that American ground forces were helping numerous anti-Taliban forces, including the Northern Alliance.

If the opposition forces gain control of Mazar-i-Sharif, the USA has indicated it might set up an airbase at a nearby air field.

With President George W. Bush declaring that he would not shut down US bombing during Ramzan, beginning later this month, the defiant militia virtually challenged him, saying that they were ready to fight during the fasting month and vowed to protect Bin Laden. PTI

Taliban say US copter shot; 40 feared dead

Kabul, November 3
Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban today said they had shot down a US helicopter during the night in an operation to the south of Kabul.

The aircraft was brought down after the Taliban opened fire in Nawoor district of Ghazni province last night while it was trying to rescue another aircraft that had crashed in the area, said Qari Fazil Rabi, an Information Ministry official. “All together, between 40 and 50 Americans have died in both these incidents,’’ he said. Reuters