US special forces have moved into Afghanistan, according to news reports, while US President George W. Bush has asserted that he will use “whatever means necessary” to track down terrorists. But the Taliban militia has said it is ready for a land war, while claiming rising civilian casualties.
The US soldiers, operating in small numbers in Afghanistan's south, aim to expand a CIA effort to encourage ethnic Pashtun leaders to break away from the ruling Taliban militia, the Washington Post said, citing unidentified US defense officials. CNN and the New York Times carried similar reports.
In addition, the opposition has said there is an American “team” operating in the north.
AFP said that the supreme leader of the Taliban Islamic militia has sent envoys to the opposition alliance urging them to switch sides and fight "the American invasion," military sources said Friday.
Commander Daud, leading opposition troops at Farkhar, east of Taloqan, told AFP by telephone he has recently had talks with Taliban envoys bearing a verbal message from Mullah Mohammad Omar.
The six-strong delegation from Taloqan, capital of Takhar province seized by the Taliban in September last year, had to cross frontlines to visit Farkhar, he said.
The message to the military chiefs of the opposition Northern Alliance urged them to join Omar and fight "the American invasion" of Afghanistan.
For 13 days, US warplanes have struck Afghanistan's Taliban regime, which the US says is sheltering Osama bin Laden, blamed for attacks that killed more than 5,400 people in New York and Washington.
USA Today reported Sept. 28 that small groups of US and British troops had been on the ground for two weeks.
Bush, asked about the reports during a trip to China, said he would not respond to what he called “rumors.” At the same time, however, he said “we will use whatever means are necessary to achieve our objective.”
Meanwhile, a Taliban official Friday said the militia was ready for the deployment of US ground forces in Afghanistan and would relish the chance to avenge weeks of bombing, reported AFP.
Abdul Hanan Hemat, head of the Taliban's Bakhter information agency, said he could not confirm the arrival of US special forces near the southern city of Kandahar, but said the militia was waiting for them.
"We don't want this fight but if there is a ground battle we would prefer that to aerial bombing," he said.
"Over history, the Afghans have proved themselves on the battlefield, especially over the past 25 years. Anyone born over the past 25 years knows how to fight.
"Afghans are ready for jihad and we will fight, especially now that Americans have martyred hundreds of our people."
According to reports, civialian casualties are on the rise.
Taliban put the number at 70 in the two past days, and Al Jazeera satellite channel reported Friday that two buses carrying fleeing Afghans were hit by the US fire on Friday morning. The number of victims is not known yet – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
