The Last Mercenaries Leave Underground Vaults Of Prison Near Mazar-i-sharif

For several days after the suppression of the revolt 82 foreign mercenaries hid themselves in the vaults of the Kalai-Banghi fortress. They were forced to leave their refuge only after icy water had been thrown to the basement, reports the Online news agency. Among those who surrendered were Afghan Talibs, Arabs - citizens of Yemen and Saudi Arabia, Chechens and Pakistanis. One fighter said he was a citizen of the United States. After the seizure of Mazar-i-Sharif by the joint units of Uzbeks, Tajiks and Khazars, several thousand prisoners-of-war - Talibs and mercenaries - were sent to the medieval Kalai-Banghi fortress. A week later, the prisoners-of-war broke out in revolt. They disarmed and killed thirty guards and seized a lot of weapons. Only after American aviation had delivered bomb strikes did they surrender. According to different reports, in suppressing the revolt from 800 to 1,200 rebels were killed. Among them there were 300 citizens of Pakistan from among the "volunteers" who fought on the side of the Taliban. There were losses also on the other side - about a hundred soldiers of the Northern Alliance and one American were killed, another five Americans were wounded. 82 rebels, among whom there are many wounded, proved to have hidden themselves in the basement of the old fortress. On Sunday the vaults were flooded, ant the rebels - Talibs and their supporters - were forced to leave their underground refuge and lay down their arms. The wounded were placed into hospitals and the rest behind bars again.