Posted on 11/24/2001 12:22:57 AM PST by mdittmar
Russia's Interfax news agency reported Saturday that fighters of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance had begun attacking the northern Afghan city of Kunduz Saturday, the purist movement's last stronghold in the north.
Reporting from the nearby city of Taloqan, Interfax quoted the Alliance's General Daoud Husaini as saying that 5,000 of his forces had begun moving on Kunduz at noon (0730 GMT). There was no independent confirmation of the report.
Husaini, commander of the Alliance's eastern front, said about 1,200 Taliban fighters had surrendered at dawn outside the city and given up their weapons after completing negotiations with a Taliban commander.
He said further talks would take place later in the day to secure the bloodless surrender of more Taliban fighters.
The Northern Alliance earlier said it had suspended the assault on Kunduz to give some 15,000 Taliban fighters the chance to lay down arms.
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