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CNN Sunday Morning

Northern Alliance Reports Progress in Bamiyan

Aired November 11, 2001 - 07:21   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: On the battlefields in Afghanistan, things have been moving swiftly, especially in favor of the Northern Alliance. The opposition forces claim that they have now seized several Taliban strongholds.

CNN's Satinder Bindra is in Northern Afghanistan and joins us with more -- Satinder.

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Martin.

Northern Alliance commanders say they have entered the central Afghan city of Bamiyan. Earlier today, they said several thousand Taliban troops had defected to their side. One Northern Alliance commander even telling us they had seized control of Bamiyan.

Now, Martin, it's not possible for me to independently corroborate this claim, but clearly, there is a lot of fighting going on in the Bamiyan region. Now, if the Northern Alliance do manage to capture Bamiyan, it will be significant because Bamiyan straddles several key supply lines that run north into Taliban territory.

And if you'll recall, earlier this year, Bamiyan shot to international prominence when the Taliban destroyed two huge Buddhist statues. One of these Buddhist statutes was 1,500 years old.

Now, Martin, there are developments in this sector where I am as well. The former stronghold of the Northern Alliance forces here, the town of Taloqan, we gather, is going to see some very heavy fighting in the coming hours ahead -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Satinder, as the Northern Alliance advances, are they reporting that they're running into resistance from the Taliban or are they simply occupying areas that the Taliban as leaving?

BINDRA: Well, it depends from sector to sector. In Bamiyan, there are reports that large numbers of Taliban troops are defecting. In this sector, where I am, yesterday, Northern Alliance forces, some 2,000 of them, encountered some fierce resistance. Some 10 Northern Alliance soldiers killed, some 30 wounded.

We also saw several Northern Alliance troops who had walked into land mines. Here, right now, Northern Alliance commanders are telling CNN crew that they expect the Taliban forces in this sector to fight, quote -- "until dead," Martin. SAVIDGE: I know it's getting onto late afternoon where you are there. What do you think will happen in the region as darkness settles in? Do you anticipate more heavy attacks from the air?

BINDRA: Yes, we are expecting more heavy attacks tonight. Yesterday, there was very intensive fighting at this time. And all the ground advances are generally made at night after intense artillery attacks. We haven't seen any aerial strikes from U.S. planes, but we have been seeing over the past one, one-and-a-half hours, several hundred troops driving up to the frontline. We are also seeing a lot of armor.

We understand, some 35 T-55s -- Russian-built T-55s -- are being deployed by the Northern Alliance forces in this sector where I am -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Thank you very much. CNN's Satinder Bindra reporting to us from Northern Afghanistan.

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