| Northern Alliance forces said they had captured northern Samangan province bordering Tajikistan after Taliban withdrew almost without a fight. Mohammad Ashraf Nadeem, spokesman for commander Atta Mohammad, said the resistance troops were chasing the Taliban into Baghlan province to the Southeast. Susequent reports said that anti-Taliban forces quickly seized three northern provincial capitals: Shibarghan in Jozjan province, Aybak in Samangan province and Maimana in Faryab province. Taking Aybak would cut the main escape route for Taliban soldiers withdrawing from Mazar-e-Sharif to Kabul. Gen. Dostum's troops were advancing on western Badghis in a move that would allow him to join his troops with those of Ismail Khan, a mujahedeen general leading a separate rebellion near Herat. |