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Alliance gives civilians time to flee surrounded Taliban city
US warplanes bombed positions around the surrounded Taliban bastion of Kunduz but an opposition general said a threatened offensive had been held back to let civilians flee.
US warplanes bombed positions around the surrounded Taliban bastion of Kunduz but an opposition general said a threatened offensive had been held back to let civilians flee.
Northern Alliance General Mohammad Daud told a press conference the Taliban had up to 30,000 fighters, including more than 10,000 foreign mercenaries, Chechens, Pakistanis and Uighurs dug in around the northern city.
The town is surrounded, but its mayor has urged US to put off an attack for two days to allow civilians to flee, Daud added.
Heavy US air strikes were carried out close to Kunduz head of the assault. A B-52 bomber pounded Taliban positions around the last stronghold.
A reporter saw the warplane unleash a carpet of bombs on hills around the town of Khanabad, about 20 kms east of Kunduz.
The battle for Kunduz is shaping up to become one of the most bitter of the past week which has seen nearly all Afghan provinces fall into the hands of the Northern Alliance or local commanders. Several thousand Alliance soldiers have taken up positions around Kunduz and Khanabad to the east awaiting the word to attack.
But the opposition says the Taliban has more troops than the Alliance force surrounding them. Growing Afghan antagonism toward foreigners fighting with the Islamic militia is also showing through.
Bureau Report
The town is surrounded, but its mayor has urged US to put off an attack for two days to allow civilians to flee, Daud added.
Heavy US air strikes were carried out close to Kunduz head of the assault. A B-52 bomber pounded Taliban positions around the last stronghold.
A reporter saw the warplane unleash a carpet of bombs on hills around the town of Khanabad, about 20 kms east of Kunduz.
The battle for Kunduz is shaping up to become one of the most bitter of the past week which has seen nearly all Afghan provinces fall into the hands of the Northern Alliance or local commanders. Several thousand Alliance soldiers have taken up positions around Kunduz and Khanabad to the east awaiting the word to attack.
But the opposition says the Taliban has more troops than the Alliance force surrounding them. Growing Afghan antagonism toward foreigners fighting with the Islamic militia is also showing through.
Bureau Report