YOU can forget but not US....
Posted on 10/20/2001 12:44:16 AM PDT by kattracks
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Under pressure from days of U.S. aerial attacks, Afghanistan's ruling Taliban sent a mission across the front line to the opposition Northern Alliance to request a truce but were rebuffed, an opposition leader said Friday.
"A delegation of several people met recently with authorities of the United Front (Northern Alliance) close to the front line near Kabul," said Kharim Khalili, leader of the Hezb-i-Wahdat Shia group in the multi-ethnic alliance.
"Their offer was to have a truce with us and to join forces to fight off the attacks," he told Reuters by satellite telephone from his base in one of the pockets of central Afghanistan held by the opposition.
"Their offer was rejected," he said.
The proposal was the clearest sign so far of the pressure on the Taliban as U.S. forces pound their military positions, and the hard-line militia have few sophisticated weapons with which to retaliate.
It also marks a serious loss of face for the Taliban to turn to its fiercest foes for help as it faces the prospect of a devastating defeat at the hands of U.S. forces.
Last week, Taliban intelligence chief Qari Ahmadullah said his radical Islamic movement wanted opposition commanders to join them to fight U.S.-led attacks, but stopped short of offering a truce.
Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar had issued orders not to seize weapons from opposition fighters who switched sides to join with his radical Islamic movement.
"We will forget the past problems with those people who join us because now it is the question of our religion and country," Ahmadullah quoted Omar as offering.
The Taliban, under assault for refusing to hand over Saudi-born fugitive Osama bin Laden and his followers in the al Qaeda network, control more than 90 percent of Afghanistan, the rest of which is held by the opposition Northern Alliance.
"In messages to me, the Taliban made similar offers and my answer to them was no," Khalili said.
"I told them it's too late to have an intra-Afghan dialogue and that you have lost all opportunities for dialogue," he said.
Afghan cities shook under the force of a 13th day of U.S. aerial bombardment Friday and people fled, but the ruling Taliban vowed defiance, pledging to protect Saudi-born radical Osama bin Laden and to beat back U.S. ground troops.
Friday, opposition forces were acting on plans to surround the key northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif and squeeze the Taliban militia that control it into surrender, a senior commander said.
Ustad Attah, one of three commanders trying to recapture the strategic town from the ruling hard-line Taliban movement, told Reuters by satellite telephone that he hoped Mazar-i-Sharif would be encircled within a few days.
Attah said eight U.S. personnel, apparently on an intelligence or reconnaissance mission, had been with fellow opposition commander General Abdul Rashid Dostum for several days.
Dostum, also aiming at Mazar-i-Sharif, was 90 km (55 miles) southeast of the city in Dara-i-Suf. Attah said the Americans had arrived by helicopter "some time back" and stayed when the choppers returned.
"First we want to surround Mazar-i-Sharif, so that people there will remain calm and so that the Taliban has no way of escaping," he said from his position just southeast of the ancient Central Asian city.
We must be losing.
People who are winning often offer truces. Sometimes they want to have a truce on the oppositions terms.
Must be all those helicopters the Tallyban is shooting down.
LOL
YOU can forget but not US....
No negotiations!
Where is the NA leader, Gen. Massoud? Was he killed by the Tallyban?
Assassinated by two suspected taliban posing as journalists. He was killed 2 days before the WTC came down.
Could this guy get a job selling used cars?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.