Over 70 U.S. soldiers killed: Taliban

DOHA, NOV. 2. Between 70 and 100 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Washington's military campaign against Afghanistan launched on October 7, an official of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban said today. But, in a report from Washington, the White House flatly denied the claim.``Once again, the Taliban are just lying,'' said the spokesman, Mr. Ari Fleischer.

Between ``70 and 100 American soldiers who landed in Afghanistan have been killed,'' the Taliban's ``consul-general'' in Karachi told Qatar's Al-Jazeera satellite TV channel.

A report from Islamabad, quoting the Afghan Islamic Press said the Taliban had threatened to hang captured supporters of a top aide to the exiled former king, Mr. Mohammed Zahir Shah, who is on an undercover mission in Afghanistan.

The militia was reported to have captured 25 followers of the former Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Hamid Karzai, in a confrontation in Deharwad in Uruzgan province overnight.

The Pakistan-based agency quoted Taliban sources as saying execution orders had been issued for ``important'' members of the detained group and they were expected to be hanged today, probably in the Taliban bastion of Kandahar. Militia fighters were still hunting for Mr. Karzai, AIP said. Mr. Karzai is believed to be on a mission similar to one undertaken by the Afghan resistance hero, Abdul Haq, whom the Taliban captured and executed last week. Haq was believed to be trying to encourage a rebellion against the Taliban. The Taliban said four U.S. helicopters had tried to rescue Mr. Karzai yesterday but failed after Taliban troops acted on a tip-off and raided a hideout in Deharwad.

Four supporters of the ex-king were killed and several others wounded in the battle. Sources said the Pashtun leader clandestinely entered the Taliban-held areas last week. He is close to Mr. Zahir Shah who is the focus of attempts to form a post-Taliban government if U.S. military operations, launched in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S., succeed in ousting the militia.

Mr. Karzai was influential in southern Afghanistan before the Taliban seized power in 1996.Meanwhile, some 1,200 armed Pakistani tribesmen entered Afghanistan today to aid the Taliban regime and its war, an Islamic party said. ``Twelve hundred volunteers went into Afghanistan under the command of Malik Jan Mohammad. They left Bajaur around midday in 50 vehicles, they are armed,'' said Mr. Faizullah Farooq, spokesman for the Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat Mohammadi.

He said the 1,200 men were in addition to another 1,000 volunteers who crossed into Afghanistan yesterday.

- AFP

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Previous : SC bans smoking in public places
Next     : Letter to Bhujbal 'anthrax positive'