Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia denied the fall Monday of the western province of Herat to the opposition Northern Alliance, Qatar's Al-Jazeera satellite channel reported.


"Claims about the fall of Herat province are unfounded; the Taliban are in control there," said Al-Jazeera's Kabul correspondent, quoting Taliban military sources. This was an "official" denial of the Northern Alliance's claim to have captured Herat, he said. A Northern Alliance envoy in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe said earlier Monday the opposition forces had captured Herat and the northeastern town of Kunduz. Iranian state radio had reported that Afghan opposition forces early on Monday captured Herat, situated about 150 km from the Iranian border.
The capture of Kunduz was also reported to Iran's state news agency IRNA by an Alliance spokesman, identified only as General Shafi. Bureau Report