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| Afghanistan |
| Northern Alliance closing in on Mazar-e-Sharif |
| 2001-10-16 |
The military forces of Afghanistan's opposition Northern Alliance have advanced close to the key strategic city of Mazar-i-Sharif. An offensive led by General Rashid Dostum, an Uzbek warlord who once ruled the city, had pushed back the Taliban to within four miles of Mazar-i-Sharif. General Dostum is attacking from the south. He is reported to be close to the airport though this is already out of commission because America has control of the air. It is impossible to verify the Northern Alliance claims since General Dostum is operating from an isolated mountain bastion to the south of Mazar-i-Sharif accessible only by helicopter. The Taliban in northern Afghanistan are largely cut off from the areas of their main support south of the Hindu Kush mountains, with only one road, in poor condition, open to their forces. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |