Posted on 11/16/2001 1:20:50 PM PST by HAL9000
TEHRAN, Nov. 15 Kyodo - Supreme Taliban leader Mohammed Omar has holed up in Kunduz, the only major city held by the Taliban in northern Afghanistan, and has been using local residents as human shield against rebel attacks, Iran's news agency IRNA said Thursday, quoting a senior Iranian diplomat in Tajikistan.IRNA said the Iranian diplomat, the minister at the Iranian Embassy in Tajikistan, gave no details about Omar's whereabouts but assured that the information came from a reliable source. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the south.
IRNA said 30,000 Taliban fighters are defending Kunduz and have barred local citizens from leaving the city, using them as ''human shield'' against attacks by the Northern Alliance.
FROM IRNA
Mulla Omar is in Kunduz, reliable informed sources
Dushanbe, Nov 15, IRNA -- Taliban leader Mulla Mohammad Omar is in the northern Kunduz province, the deputy ambassador of the Afghanistan Islamic government to Tajikistan Mohyuddin Mahdi told IRNA here Thursday citing reliable informed sources.
He said he was unaware of further details, but reiterated the authenticity of the news could be vouchsafed.
Taliban's fierce resistance in the province in the face of the United Islamic Front's besiege of the region has further given rise to speculations that Omar could be in Kunduz, Mahdi said.
According to reports, Taliban have gathered 30,000 of their fighters in Kunduz and are preventing residents from leaving the province, using them as human shields against probable attacks of by the alliance or the US.
They have so far shrugged off calls to to turn themselves to the alliance forces.
Taliban fighters are making a last stand in the besieged city, where thousands of the United Front soldiers are reported preparing for an assault.
BH/AR
End
::irna 17:33
The Russians spent how many years trying to fight these people? Just goes to show, when the big boys are playing you don't have a chance.
However, those years had the USA opposing the Russians(USSR). In this war, the Talibans are all alone with EVERY country and power AGAINST the Taliban. Plus, most of their weapons are dated by now.
Our big boys (Bush's entire team) are fantastic! And just goes to show that Clinton really was a wimp. He had all that potential power behind him and he only used it to better himself. I hope the whole world understands that now.
...Our egomaniac ex... No need to add any more to your very astute statement. RIGHT ON!!!!
It's a long way to Saudi Arabia, and everyone outside of Kunduz wants them dead.
Unlike Talibanians who "see the light", these Arabs have no future in Afghanistan. They have every reason to hold out, and no reason to give up.
Kunduz is wayyy up north, the nearest Paki border is about 140 miles southeast thru Hindu Kush (& a bunch of NA).
If he has to get out, Uzbekistan is some 30 miles north, and they will kill him and his troops on the spot.
Poor Omar, I think the fat lady is clearing her throat.
/Uzbeki/Tajiki/g
/kill/torture & kill/
For the record, B-52s don't carry Daisy Cutters. The bomb is too big to fit in the bay.
Instead, they're mounted on pallets and skidded out the back of a C-130 by deploying a parachute. Kinda low tech. But effective...
I'd get under the bed if there was room -
If B-52s are involved, yes it would be very heavy.
The special force should be looking under every burkah Afghanistan for these guys.
These great 'Islamic warriors' are probably trying to sneak out of the country by hiding 'under women's skirts.'
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