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CNN Sunday Morning

Northern Alliance Reports Advances Into Taliban Territory

Aired October 07, 2001 - 07:01   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.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: Afghan opposition forces are reporting further advances into Taliban controlled territory. The Northern Alliance says dozens of Taliban fighters have been killed and many more have been captured. Journalist Kamal Hyder is covering Afghanistan's civil war and he joins us now by phone with an update.

Kamal, what's the latest?

KAMAL HYDER, JOURNALIST: Well, Jeanne, the latest is basically that now, all over Afghanistan that's from south to east to north and of course, in the west. Taliban preparations are already complete and their defenses are on a state of alert. They're ready to face any possible attack. And as they've been saying along, "We are not blaming to fight a conventional war." They are blaming to wage a guerrilla campaign.

And as one commander, we spoke to earlier today said, "that by hitting us, they will be strengthening us." Meaning that all for the Taliban across the region would of course, be a significant factor as a moral boosting measure for the Taliban -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: There were reports that the Taliban has massed a significant number of forces on the border with Uzbekistan. What can you tell us about that?

HYDER: Well, they would obviously deploy these forces from their perspective because for them, Mazar-e-Sharif is of crucial importance. And because this area has escaped most of the destruction seen by other Afghan cities, road conditions and the communication are relatively better so they can deploy a number of forces, whatever is available to them in that area -- fairly swiftly across onto the Uzbekistan border for deployment, defensive deployment. And Radio Shai'ad (ph) has been talking about the top commander, Mula Tatula (ph) basically commanding the troops on that border -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Kamal, the Northern Alliance claiming to have made several advances again. What can you tell us?

HYDER: Well, from the reports that we were getting out of Kabul, there seems to be no major fighting. The Northern Alliance would be fighting for Tahar (ph) if there is a major confrontation with the Taliban. But it must be remembered that the Taliban also have a significant number of tuuks (ph) in Tahar, over 25,000. So I really don't know why the Northern Alliance would be trying to head on backward because their objective, as people are talking about in areas of Kabul and they feel that an attack on Kabul will basically mean concentration in the Jublis Herat (ph) area -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Kamal Hyder in Afghanistan, thank you. Now, Kyra, to you.

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