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CNN Live At Daybreak

Eastern Alliance Surrounds al Qaeda; Transfer of Power to Interim Governor in Kandahar Shaky

Aired December 10, 2001 - 06:01   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: But right now, we want to go to Afghanistan. Ben Wedeman is the only journalist on the front lines near Tora Bora and he brings us the latest from there. Ben, we understand that fighters there think that al Qaeda is surrounded. What's going on?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's correct. We spoke to one of the commanders at the front line who said that they believe that because of the tenacity of the resistant of the Taliban -- rather the al Qaeda fighters that they believe that the -- Osama bin Laden is in that area. They say -- they claim that they've completely surrounded the area of where they -- where the forces are, but nonetheless, when we were up at the front lines today, there was some fairly intense exchanges of fire between the two sides -- not only outgoing tank fire from the Eastern Alliance, but also return fire from al Qaeda using 82 and 120-millimeter mortars.

The 120-millimeter mortars are quite powerful, quite deadly with a much further range and we were basically caught in the middle of one of those bombardments. The alliance troops, however, say that they're going to be moving forward. We spoke with Hazrat Ali, who's the commander of the forces in this area. He says that today his forces were able to capture four al Qaeda tunnels as well as two -- two command centers, as he called them. We would have gone up to see them, but that's when the mortar fire started to come in and we were forced back.

LIN: Ben, it looks like pretty rugged terrain there. What are the chances that these al Qaeda fighters and even Osama bin Laden can escape through those hills and possibly into Pakistan?

WEDEMAN: Well, the chances are small, in fact. They are very rugged mountains, but these are obviously very hardened fighters. The alliance people we spoke with said that they have stationed forces all around the area where al Qaeda is currently located. We also know that the Pakistanis reinforced their forces along the border, (INAUDIBLE) patrolling the area with helicopters, but as you can see, probably, it's very, very rugged terrain and a determined force like the al Qaeda forces could be able to escape from the area.

LIN: All right, the battle rages on there near the White Mountains of Tora Bora. Ben Wedeman on the front lines. In the meantime, let's go to southern Afghanistan, the former stronghold of the Taliban, the spiritual home of Kandahar. CNN's Nic Robertson reporting live from there. Nic, what is the situation in the city right now?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, a development here. The new interim governor of Kandahar, Gul Agha Sairzai (ph) has, we've just been told, released some 1,200 or so prisoners. Now these were people imprisoned under the Taliban rule and he has decided that he has no case against them, and he has released them. He has distributed money to them so that they can return to their homes throughout Afghanistan.

Now Mr. Gul Agha is not only now the interim governor of Kandahar Province, but also of the surrounding provinces. This was worked out in a deal by the head of Afghanistan's interim government Hamid Karzai over the weekend in meetings with tribal elders. There has been, and there still is, to some degree, tension in this city between the Gul Agha's forces and the forces of Mullah Naqib who took over after the Taliban left. Both commanders want control of the city, but under the deal worked out by Hamid Karzai, power is split between the two of them.

Mr. Gul Agha is the governor, now, and Mr. Mullah Naqib has been offered the position of -- position of top military commander. These positions do depend on the ratification when -- of Afghanistan's interim government when it meets for the first time later in December. But for right now, the tension that had been more abundant in the city over the weekend is beginning to subside.

However, there were exchanges of small arms gunfire overnight between the forces and a few people were killed -- few fighters were killed in the city overnight we're told. However, the situation is relatively calm. There are a lot of people out on the streets, still. There are a lot of stores open, and people, although they're very, very concerned about the way the situation could turn here, because there are still some small commanders in the city -- smaller tribal commanders who have yet to sign onto this new deal and have yet to lay down their weapons at the demand of Gul Agha, that still there is a potential for violence.

And, certainly, the people in the city are very aware that it could -- the violence could flare up again, but for right now, the city appears to be relatively peaceful. The new governor Gul Agha, has released some 1,200 prisoners, and he is, at this moment we understand, meeting with U.S. Special Forces -- Carol.

LIN: Nic, given that there is this power struggle going on between these Pashtun-Afghan commanders, isn't this exactly the kind of opportunity that Mullah Omar, the Taliban's spiritual leader, might be looking for in terms of reorganizing and taking back the city while there is this power struggle going on?

ROBERTSON: If he were going to take advantage of this -- of any situation, this would be it. But I think the situation on the ground appears to have moved beyond that at this time. If Mullah Omar was to do that, he would have to significantly reorganize his forces. He would have to bring them back into the city and he would have to take home the force of Gul Agha that is now really begun to fully entrench itself and take over the administration of the city; take over key buildings; take over the administration of the police force in the city and surrounding provinces.

So it would be an opportunity, but it would have to be an opportunity he would take swiftly because the situation is beginning to move beyond that. Mullah Naqib, the main tribal leader that Gul Agha, the governor has a problem with, was a key associate of the Taliban and it has been believed by some forces here who have been assisting Taliban leaders escape the city, and certainly it would be -- it could be feared that he may side with Mullah Omar and try and -- try and bring about some return of the Taliban, but there are absolutely no indications that that's in any way likely to happen in the near future -- Carol.

LIN: All right, thank you very much. Nic Robertson reporting live from Kandahar in southern Afghanistan. The Taliban are no longer in control in the major cities in Afghanistan, but that doesn't mean everyone there feels safe. As CNN's Tom Mintier reports, many Afghans are still trying to make their way out of the country.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, they continue their attempts to get out. At the Chaman crossing, cars lined up to leave, and Pakistani border guards continued to be brutal. What is different are the stories of those fleeing, no longer fearful of the Taliban, but uncertainty.

GULL BADEEN, AFGHAN CIVILIAN (through translator): The situation is very calm inside. The Taliban has gone, but is confused as to who is taking charge of the new government. For the time being it's quiet, but the situation in Kandahar is very tense.

MINTIER: While people still wait to get out of Afghanistan, little enters. This truck loaded with humanitarian assistance is allowed to unload at a refugee camp just inside the border. In nearby Quetta, tribal elders gather to call for a peaceful future after Taliban rule in Kandahar.

HAJI KHAIR MAHAMMED, ISHAQ ZAI TRIBE (through translator): It would be good if all the tribal groups in Kandahar can sit down and make a decision on how to control the city, then we can send the foreign troops back and we will solve the matter among ourselves.

MINTIER: As the Pashtun tribes wrestle over Kandahar, former Taliban members now in Pakistan look for a way out. This group was formerly very close to Taliban leader Mullah Omar -- no more.

AHMAD MOJADDIDI, KAJ POLITICAL PARTY: Yeah, it is very obvious that that system of Islamic (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in Afghanistan is not still existed, so he's not remaining emir of that system.

MINTIER: Many of these men served as ministers in the fallen Taliban government. Now they are pledging support to the new leader of Afghanistan.

MOJADDIDI: Gullee Omar (ph) (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to Mr. Karzai contacted us, and by it, contacted -- I have (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to him our advisers to make national unity among all the political parties and to take Afghanistan out of this crisis. In the future all of -- all the political parties in every city to be represented in the future government.

MINTIER: Back at the border with Afghanistan, the word "crisis" is not something these people are quite ready to use in the past tense. Tom Mintier, CNN, Islamabad, Pakistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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