Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Tug-of-War Power Struggle for Kandahar

Aired December 08, 2001 - 16:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Now returning to Kandahar, the Taliban birthplace. That's in danger of being caught in a tug-of-war between anti-Taliban factions. You may recall the Taliban abandoned that city early yesterday, allowing opposition forces to stream in. And they were supposed to lay down their weapons and surrender. But as we're learning, nothing in Afghanistan's quite that simple.

Let's get the latest now from CNN's Nic Robertson, currently the only Westerner journalist inside Kandahar.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Negotiations are currently underway to determine who should govern Kandahar. Anti-Taliban tribal forces say they control about 70 percent of the city.

They say that Mullah Naquibullah, the man that the Taliban were pointing to, to takeover of Kandahar is unsuitable. They say that because Mullah Naquibullah, from their position, they say that he was very, very close to the Taliban, that he supported the Taliban. In fact, they say that he invited the Taliban to take control of Kandahar in 1994. And for that reason, they say he is not to be trusted.

Now Mullah Naquibullah, I'm told, about 30 percent of the city of control of Kandahar City on the western side of the city. Now negotiations involving Mullah Naquibullah, involving key associates of Taliban leader Mullah Omar and Hamid Karzai, the new head of Afghanistan's interim government are underway just north of Kandahar, we are told.

Now the tribal leaders we talked to say they are quite happy for the outcome of those talks to be a peaceful conclusion. They say they don't particularly want to fight with Mullah Naquibullah and his forces, but they say if have to, they will.

Now on our way into Kandahar today, we came past the airport. There are signs there of very fierce fighting. There were bodies over at the side of the road. Many destroyed vehicles, trucks, jeeps at the side of the road. And some of the buildings around the airport also showed signs of extensive destruction.

Now tribal forces we're traveling with also told us there are some 200 Arab fighters currently under siege at the airport. They say that they do not want to bomb the airport building because these Arab fighters are in the terminal building and they don't want to damage that building. But they do say that they will lay siege to it and not let the Arab fighters out until they lay down their weapons.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com