AFGHANISTAN: FIGHTERS LOYAL TO AFGHAN WARLORD GUL AGHA PATROL TAKHTA PUL AFTER GAINING CONTROL FROM TALIBAN AFTER FIERCE BATTLE

Record ID: 208457

  • Title: AFGHANISTAN: FIGHTERS LOYAL TO AFGHAN WARLORD GUL AGHA PATROL TAKHTA PUL AFTER GAINING CONTROL FROM TALIBAN AFTER FIERCE BATTLE
  • Date: 9th December 2001
  • Summary: (U5)NEAR KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN (DECEMBER 9, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. TRAVELLING SHOT: THE ROAD TOWARDS SUNSET WITH AN ANTI AIRCRAFT GUN AND A FORT CONTAINING TALIBAN FIGHTERS 0.11 2. SV: DESTROYED VEHICLE 0.17 3. LV: DESTROYED BUILDING 0.20 4. TRACK: ABANDONED VEHICLES ON ROAD AFTER MISSILE HIT THE ROAD 0.25 5. SV'S: FIGHTERS LOYAL TO FORMER GOVERNOR OF KANDAHAR GUL AGHA, ON TANK (2 SHOTS) 0.53 (U5)TAKHTA PUL (TOWN BETWEEN KANDAHAR AND THE PAKISTAN BORDER) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. SV: GUL AGHA FIGHTERS AT A CHECKPOINT IN TAKHTA PUL 0.59 7. PAN: HOUSES 1.06 8. SV: PEOPLE WITH GUNS 1.12 9. PAN: HOUSES 1.17 10. TRAVELLING SHOT: A TANK WITH A FLAG, NOW USED BY GUL AGHA 1.25 (U5)KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN (DECEMBER 9, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. PAN: KANDAHAR STREET 1.31 12. PAN: CARS OUTSIDE THE POST OFFICE 1.36 13. PAN: EXTERIOR OF AFGHAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION COMPANY BUILDING 1.41 14. SV: PEOPLE IN THE STREET WITH WEAPONS 1.50 15. TRAVELLING SHOT OF KANDAHAR STREET 1.55 16. PAN/SLV: STREET SCENES IN KANDAHAR (2 SHOTS) 2.05 17. SV: FIGHTERS OUTSIDE A BUILDING 2.09 18. TRAVELLKING SHOT: A CANON MOUNTED IN THE CENTRE OF THE CITY 2.19 19. TRAVELLING SHOT: MORE STREET SCENES 2.25 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 24th December 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TAKHTA PUL AND KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Reuters ID: LVA683IFOXSDKG1GP51DE5QL40OQ
  • Story Text: Fighters loyal to Afghan warlord Gul Agha patrol the
    town of Takhta Pul after gaining control in a fierce battle
    against the Taliban. In Kandahar, the southern capital, Gul
    Agha's fighters are also in control.


    The Taliban surrendered Kandahar, their last stronghold,
    on Friday under siege from tribal fighters backed by U.S.

    air power and Marines dug in at the airstrip codenamed
    Camp Rhino.

    Afghan tribal forces backed by U.S. air power were
    battling the Taliban in the Kandahar area last week, with the
    heaviest fighting reported around the airport, where al Qaeda
    troops were making a last stand, despite devastating U.S.

    bombing.

    Kandahar was reported calmer on Monday (December 10) after
    rival tribal leaders decided who should control the city, but
    there was still no word on the fate of Mullah Omar, who had
    kept his headquarters there even after his Islamic militia
    captured Kabul in 1996.

    An agreement among Afghan tribal leaders vying for control
    of Kandahar eased fear of fighting in the ancient walled city,
    where former governor Gul Agha had demanded his job back.

    Afghanistan's interim leader Hamid Karzai said on Sunday
    (December 10) Gul Agha would take over military and
    administrative affairs in Kandahar, which was now "secure".

    Gul Agha had complained about the surrender deal Karzai
    struck with the Taliban last week. The Islamic militia handed
    the city to Mullah Naqibullah, who commanded Mujahideen (holy
    warrior) forces against the Soviet occupiers in the 1980s and
    whom Gul Agha considers too close to the Taliban.

    The United States launched strikes on Afghanistan to flush
    out bin Laden, its prime suspect in the September 11 attacks
    on New York and Washington, and punish his Taliban protectors.

    A U.S. armoured convoy backed by helicopters moved towards
    Kandahar from a desert airstrip near the city.

    The International Committee of the Red Cross began
    collecting bodies from the streets of Kandahar on Monday.

    The Taliban ceded Kandahar and the nearby provinces of
    Helmand, which fell on Friday, and Zabul, which held out until
    Sunday when AIP said two Taliban commanders, Mullah Abdul
    Salam Rocketi and Mullah Sayed Mohammad Haqani, handed it
    over.

    At Takhta Pul, half way between Kandahar and the border,
    50 al- Qaeda fighters were holed up in an ancient sandstone
    fort.

    U.S. air strikes were called in and 250 of Gul Agha's men
    with 35 vehicles stormed the hideout. Now Takhta is under the
    control of Gul Agha's fighters.
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