Taliban Attempt Offensive On Northern Alliance

The Taliban forces have reportedly launched an offensive on the positions of the Northern Alliance and its allies. The Taliban have been massing forces in the provinces of Balkh, Samangan, and Jauzjan in northern Afghanistan, and immediately north of Kabul in the direction of the Panjsher Valley. The Northern Alliance spokesman, Mohammed Habeel, said the Taliban's attacks had been repelled on all fronts. The Taliban jets bombed the United Front's strongholds before launching the offensive on the Alliance-held Khoram and Darae-Souf areas Saturday. The Taliban are apparently determined to spread combat into Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani's native province of Badakhshan. Gun battles are continuing 45 kilometers north of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul. The Taliban are employing helicopter gunships, fighter jets, and heavy artillery everywhere. According to Habeel, numerous Arab mercenaries supporting international terrorist Osama bin Laden, Pakistani nationals, and Uzbek fundamentalists have been swelling the ranks of what the Kabul-based regime's soldiers call the Taliban militia.