Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

In Northern Afghanistan, Life and Death Standoff Around City of Konduz

Aired November 20, 2001 - 09:39   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: In Northern Afghanistan, a life and death standoff around the city of Konduz. It is the last northern city still held by the Taliban. It is surrounded by Northern Alliance forces who are giving the Taliban and their supporters an ultimatum.

CNN's Satinder Bindra is there -- Satinder.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SATINDER, BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is very cold and it's very cloudy on the frontlines today. And that's perhaps restricting U.S. planes from dropping bombs on frontline Taliban potion. Since morning we have seen just two U.S. planes drop bombs, very close to us, about two miles away from us.

Now what's also happening here on the frontlines is some intense diplomatic activity. Northern Alliance commanders are meeting Taliban in Konduz. It's been the Northern Alliance's strategy for several days to try to engineer defections from the Taliban camp. So far, they say they managed to get 1,000 Taliban fighters to defect, but most of these Taliban fighters are described as local Taliban fighters.

There is also a hardcore element of Taliban fighters, and these are described as the Chechens, the Pakistanis and fighters from Arab countries who are still trapped in Konduz. Now these fighters are so far showing little inclination to surrender. In fact, Northern Alliance commanders are telling us that this hardcore group, these hardcore fighters are killing those local Taliban commanders who have expressed any interest in surrendering.

Now the Northern Alliance says it will continue the strategy, it's going to try with these negotiations for another few days. And if they don't succeed, then it's going to launch some attacks on Konduz.

Satinder Bindra, CNN, on the frontlines near Konduz.

(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