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U.S. Bombers Hit Taliban Frontlines, Followers of King's Envoy Held
KABUL, Nov 2 (News Agencies) - U.S. bombers pounded Taliban positions in northern Afghanistan on Friday as the militia hunted an envoy of ex-king Zahir Shah after capturing some of his followers, whom they reportedly threatened to hang.
U.S. B-52s hit Taliban frontline positions on the Shomali plain 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Kabul.
But opposition commanders reported the bombings had little impact on the frontlines, as the Taliban prepared to welcome some 1,200 armed Pakistan tribesmen who headed into Afghanistan to support them.
"Twelve hundred volunteers went into Afghanistan under the command of Malik Jan Mohammad," Faizullah Farooq, spokesman for the Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat Mohammadi (TNSM), said.
Farooq said registration for new volunteers had gained momentum after Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden reportedly issued a call to arms to the Muslim world.
Their departure came as a carpet of bombs hit a Taliban-controlled hilltop area southwest of Bagram airbase, a significant sector in a frontline where the Taliban have concentrated about 6,000 fighters.
Massive curtains of smoke and dust rose over the area and shockwaves from the blast rumbled across the wide plains.
"Around 35 bombs were dropped this morning on the hills," said a Northern Alliance commander, Sayed Amruddin. "According to Taliban communications we monitored, four pick-ups were destroyed."
Later Friday night, two explosions rocked the north of Kabul near the airport, according to residents. They said there was no response from Taliban anti-aircraft gunners as at least one warplane flew over the city.
Taliban Education Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi meanwhile said 12 followers of former Afghan deputy foreign minister, Hamid Karzai, were detained after a clash in Deharwad in Uruzgan province.
But he denied those detained would be executed "in the next 24 hours," telling AFP "no decision has been taken yet."
Karzai is believed to be on a similar mission to Afghan resistance hero Abdul Haq, who the Taliban captured and executed last week along with two associates. Abdul Haq was trying to encourage a rebellion against the Taliban.
The Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported earlier that the Taliban had threatened to hang Karzai's captured supporters on Friday.
The Taliban said four U.S. helicopters tried to rescue Karzai on Thursday night, but failed after Taliban troops fought them off. Muttaqi said four of his supporters were killed in the fighting.
Karzai's family in Pakistan said, however, they had heard from Hamid on Friday morning and he was still free.
Karzai is close to the former exiled king, Zahir Shah. The former Afghan monarch is the focus of attempts to form a post-Taliban government, if U.S. military operations succeed in ousting the militia.
Meanwhile, Pakistan, was at the center of a new wave of diplomatic activity as the French, Saudi Arabian and Greek foreign ministers held talks in Islamabad on the anti-terrorism campaign.
"Our role is to allow the Afghans to become once more masters of their own destiny," French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine told a press conference as he wound up a brief two-day visit to India and Pakistan.
"We can't impose a ready-made political solution on Afghanistan," he said after talks with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
He also praised Musharraf for his "courageous" decision in backing the U.S.-led coalition.
Pakistan is a key member of the international coalition because of its frontline position. But Musharraf faces domestic pressure in the overwhelmingly Muslim nation over the U.S. strikes.
More demonstrations were held in Pakistani cities after Friday prayers in mosques. Religious groups called for Musharraf to end the government's support for the U.S. anti-terror campaign against the Taliban regime.
Accused terrorist leader Osama bin Laden reportedly urged Muslims in Pakistan to "confront the crusade against Islam" in a statement broadcast Thursday by the Arab satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera.
Bin Laden accused Musharraf's government of "standing under the banner of the Cross while Muslims are being slaughtered in Afghanistan."
Al-Jazeera said it obtained a copy of the statement carrying "the same signature which appeared in a previous statement" by the Afghan-based Saudi dissident.
However, Pakistan's military government spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi said the government was "not even sure of the authenticity of the letter. It is best ignored."
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