Posted on 10/09/2001 11:45:55 PM PDT by Pericles
Tuesday October 9 1:24 PM ET
Afghan Opposition Says Defectors Close Main Road
By Peter Graff
JABAL-US-SARAJ, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A group of commanders from the ruling Taliban militia have switched sides and closed the only road linking north and south Afghanistan, a senior opposition Northern Alliance official said Tuesday.
``About 40 commanders with 1,200 men under arms joined the alliance and closed the Bagram-Bamiyan road to the Taliban on Monday night,'' said Abdullah Abdullah, foreign minister of the opposition Northern Alliance. If confirmed, the defections would deal a severe blow to the hard-line Taliban, now under attack from the skies by a mighty U.S.-led force, by virtually cutting off their southern power base from cities they hold in the north and where ethnic minorities do not necessarily support them. ''There wasn't any fighting, they basically came right over,'' Abdullah said in an interview in Jabal-us-Saraj, an opposition stronghold 45 miles north of Kabul.
``Without that road the Taliban can only supply the north of Afghanistan by the road leading from Kabul all the way to the west via Herat.''
The Northern Alliance has long blocked the Salang Pass that commands the main highway linking Kabul with cities in the north.
The Bagram to Bamiyan road is the main detour linking Kabul with the key northern cities of Kunduz and Mazar-i-Sharif.
Now, Taliban forces will only be able to supply the northeast by the roundabout highway all the way across western Afghanistan and the city of Herat.
``For (Taliban control of) the north it will make it very difficult, if not in the immediate term -- today or tomorrow -- then in the mid-term,'' Abdullah said.
``It has put the Taliban in northern Afghanistan in a very difficult situation, the most difficult situation in all their years.''
Abdullah said the defections had been expected by the alliance, which was in touch with the commanders before the United States began its strikes Sunday.
``We knew these people and we knew that under these circumstances they would have no choice.''
The Americans had been informed of the development, he said.
``They are pleased.''
Borrowed from takenoprisoner .
With these kinds of "principles" I can say they will be unable to govern themselves peacefully.
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