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CNN Saturday Morning News

Northern Alliance Now Controls Mazar-e Sharif

Aired November 10, 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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: The eyes of the world are fixed on northern Afghanistan this morning, with word of a major victory for Northern Alliance forces. We are told that opposition fighters now control the key city of Mazar-e Sharif, and Taliban troops say they have withdrawn to Pul-e-Khumri to regroup.

We want to get the latest now on the military situation. For that, we turn to CNN's Jonathan Aiken at the Pentagon. Good morning to you, Jonathan.

JONATHAN AIKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Martin.

Well, the Pentagon is saying very little as it waits for the dust to settle around Mazar-e Sharif, and there are several reasons for that, the first one, quite literally, it is too soon after the battle to get a firm handle, at least for U.S. officials here, to get a firm handle on exactly what has been going on on the ground.

The second reason is, the Pentagon doesn't really control Northern Alliance forces. They're not eager to speak for them. And while the United States does supply the alliance with both advisers and materiel, it doesn't want to take the lead in commenting on Northern Alliance actions.

And also, the ability of the Northern Alliance as a fighting force is always something that has been a matter of discussion.

So for those reasons, the Pentagon being somewhat hesitant to make a firm comment. One official with the Central Command told us it appears the media reports of the fall of Mazar-e Sharif appear to be correct.

Now, CNN's Tim Lister is going to get into this in a little more detail in a minute. But we have a map that we want to quickly show you to explain why Mazar-e Sharif is as important as it is. And it's mostly about geography. Mazar-e Sharif lies at a crossroads in northern Afghanistan that links the northern parts of the country to more remote parts of the country with the southern supply roadways that go south and east toward Kabul.

And the other reason is that the United States, with Mazar-e Sharif in the hands of the Northern Alliance, would have access to an air base in friendly territory. From there, they could place U.S. forces and also reinforcements and supplies. And also officials point out that this is where the U.S. will be putting humanitarian aid. Rather than airlift this material and drop it by rations from the sky, they feel that with winter coming on, they would have a much better chance of helping more people in the more remote parts of the country if they were able to have a place to stockpile humanitarian resources on the ground and get them out in truck convoys in safe territory before the winter sets in.

The other reason why Mazar-e Sharif is important is because it gives the United States a clear road to Uzbekistan to the north, and that is where the U.S. has some troops stationed.

So the bottom line here, the Pentagon waiting to assess the situation on the ground. The Taliban doesn't call it a retreat, they call it a strategic regrouping. The U.S. waiting for the dust to settle, quite literally, Martin, before it's able to make a firm comment on that one way or the other.

SAVIDGE: Jonathan, any indication from the Pentagon as to whether U.S. forces were involved in that fighting for Mazar-e Sharif?

AIKEN: No comment that we're getting on that from Central Command, though the Taliban has admitted that it was heavy U.S. bombing over the past several days, as this bombing becomes more intense and also more precise with the help of advisers on the ground, and that it was that action that led to the Taliban leaving the city -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: Jonathan Aiken at the Pentagon this morning, thank you -- Kyra.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, as Jonathan was mentioning, Mazar-e Sharif is the most significant prize in northern Afghanistan. It's not a central city, nor is it a political symbol like Kabul. But given its location, experts say this city could play a crucial role in the new war.

CNN's Tim Lister explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TIM LISTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the five weeks since the U.S. air campaign began, the Northern Alliance has been pushing for its first strategic prize. It's been edging closer to Mazar-e Sharif, the most important city in northern Afghanistan. Intense United States bombing weakened Taliban positions around the city, easing access for the opposition.

The alliance's advance threatens to cut off other Taliban forces in northern Afghanistan, and it deprived the Taliban of a major working airport to the west of the city. That could become a staging post for further attacks on the Taliban.

The fall of Mazar-e Sharif may also be a psychological turning point. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will give a moral boost to the opposition alliance, because it lost the city in 1998. Second, it will open up a passage to Uzbekistan.

LISTER: A city of some 200,000 people, mostly Tajik and Uzbek, Mazar-e Sharif sits at the crossroads of several provinces. It's some 60 kilometers from the border with Uzbekistan, where 1,000 U.S. soldiers are positioned.

This area is easier to reach than the mountainous region that rings the capital, Kabul.

An important religious center, Mazar-e Sharif sits in broad plains that produce much of Afghanistan's wheat. This was the pathway of the first Soviet invasion in 1979.

The Russian dominance of Mazar-e Sharif was secure throughout their occupation, because the city is difficult to attack. Once the Russians left, it was fiercely contested by Uzbek militia and the Taliban. This was the last major city to be seized by the Taliban in 1997. They briefly lost it to militia led by General Rashid Dostum before regaining control in 1998.

And that success led Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate government.

Control of Mazar-e Sharif by opposition forces should provide a more reliable route for badly needed humanitarian aid now arriving in neighboring Uzbekistan. There are 12 camps around Mazar-e Sharif holding some 40,000 refugees.

The Pentagon and other military analysts are cautious about the Northern Alliance's ability to extend its success beyond Mazar-e Sharif, but the Taliban has now lost control of a major city, and the balance of the war may have tilted in favor of its opponents.

Tim Lister, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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