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CNN Live At Daybreak

Sources Say Jalalabad, Nangarhar Province Fall to Northern Alliance

Aired November 14, 2001 - 05:46   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Things are not (UNINTELLIGIBLE) as usual in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Now, let's go now to Pashawar, Pakistan to get the latest on that.

Our Bill Delaney is there, keeping an eye on things there that are going on across the border in Jalalabad. Bill, what's the latest?

BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Leon, the unraveling of Taliban authority throughout Afghanistan continues to a degree, unimaginable just a couple of days ago. Both Pakistani and Afghan sources now tell us that the key eastern city of Jalalabad in Afghanistan is no longer under Taliban authority, nor is Nangarhar Province, where Jalalabad is.

We have separate reports from separate sources, not as strong sources, but of Afghans crossing into Pakistan from Konar Province, that that province is also no longer under the authority of the Taliban.

Now, I say it that way, no longer under the authority of the Taliban, because this is not a result of major fighting of any kind, we are told, but of the Taliban administrations in these provinces switching sides. Now, in Kandahar -- in Nangarhar Province, it was all settled apparently with a handshake, when Taliban authorities there handed over administrative control to a respected elder named Mullah Unis Kallas. So major developments here, but not from major fighting, we are told.

Now, I'm in Pashawar, in northern Pakistan. Just a couple of hours down the road is the Khyber Pass. That leads, then, on to Jalalabad, and then on to Kabul. This is a key route into Afghanistan, of course, a route used by many humanitarian U.N. organizations over the years. Were all of this to open, that would, of course, be enormously significant for the humanitarian effort. We are not there yet, by any means. The Taliban still in control of border crossings, we are told, although cars and trucks, we are also told, are now lined miles deep at the Torkham border crossing.

Now, here in Pashawar, a city of two million in northern Pakistan, there are a million Afghan refugees. Refugees we spoke to this morning, just running shops here in this city, expressed cautious optimism that their long dream of returning home might be fulfilled now in the future, but cautious optimism. As I say, they've been through a lot here, and no one is feeling certain that they're going into Afghanistan anytime soon.

And we continue to hear from religious leaders, Pakistani religious leaders, hard-line Islamic leaders here in Pashawar, a lot of defiant talk about continued support for the Taliban -- back to you, Leon.

HARRIS: Well, Bill, obviously, one thing that could pave the way for those there in Pashawar, or refugees or whatever, to go back home into Afghanistan would be the appearance of Northern Alliance troops back into Jalalabad. And now, you were saying that Jalalabad may have changed hands here without any fighting there. But is there any evidence that there may be Northern Alliance or United Front troops moving into there to secure that area, and to make sure that that change does happen.

DELANEY: No, this is not what we're hearing. The military in control there is a group calling itself the Eastern Alliance. It goes under a number of names, and as I say, the military authorities there are the authorities who were there yesterday, except then, they were under Taliban administration, and now they've switched sides. Switching sides, in this case, essentially meaning they no longer support the Taliban and its leader, Mullah Omar. It doesn't necessarily mean that they support the Northern Alliance, but they no longer support the Taliban.

HARRIS: And if that is true, then that, once again, adds to the reports of massive defections from the Taliban that we've been seeing in the last 14 hours -- 24 hours or so. Bill Delaney in Pashawar, Pakistan, thank you very much -- we'll be getting back to you later on.

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