Afghanistan: Alliance Enters Kabul To Prevent Power Void, Says Putin

It is thoroughly wrong to allege that the Northern Alliance has entered Kabul against available understandings with the USA and Pakistan. As it really was, the Taliban had abandoned the Afghan capital, and the Alliance had to introduce security forces to keep developments under control and prevent the city plundered, pointed out Russia's President Vladimir Putin as he and US President George W. Bush were addressing a joint news conference in the White House. The Northern Alliance had not taken Kabul by storm, stressed Mr. Putin.