Skip to main content /WORLD
CNN.com /WORLD
SERVICES
CNN TV
EDITIONS


COMPLETE COVERAGE | FRONT LINES | AMERICA AT HOME | INTERACTIVES »

Northern Alliance presses U.S. to rethink strategy

By Satinder Bindra
CNN in Northern Afghanistan

KHOJA BAHAWUDDIN, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Anti-Taliban forces in northern Afghanistan have urged the United States to end its bombing campaign before the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The Northern Alliance, also known as the United Front, says the U.S. has to be more sensitive about the rising civilian casualty list and the possiblilty of attacks during Ramadan upsetting Muslim countries.

As planes continue to bomb front-line Taliban positions, the Alliance has said Washington should step up such attacks. Ramadan begins on or around November 17.

"It would be preferable if we see the end of this campaign with objectives achieved before the end of Ramadan," said Abdullah Abdullah, the Northern Alliance foreign minister.

VIDEO
CNN's Matthew Chance reports from Afghanistan on the Northern Alliance's military preparedness

Play video
(QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)
 
MORE STORIES
Ramadan strikes loom large 
 
Attack on America
 CNN.COM SPECIAL REPORT
 CNN NewsPass Video 
Agencies reportedly got hijack tips in 1998
 MORE STORIES
Intelligence intercept led to Buffalo suspects
Report cites warnings before 9/11
 EXTRA INFORMATION
Timeline: Who Knew What and When?
Interactive: Terror Investigation
Terror Warnings System
Most wanted terrorists
What looks suspicious?
In-Depth: America Remembers
In-Depth: Terror on Tape
In-Depth: How prepared is your city?
 RESOURCES
On the Scene: Barbara Starr: Al Qaeda hunt expands?
On the Scene: Peter Bergen: Getting al Qaeda to talk

ÊCNN.com Asia
More news from our
Asia edition

Ê

Widespread Muslim anger -- and a subsequent fracturing of international support for U.S.-led attacks -- could be the result of any civilian casualties during Ramadan, Abdullah said.

"Some sort of civilian casualties are inevitable in a military campaign [but] on the other side there are ways · to avoid major civilian casualties," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday that while he hopes goals of the U.S. military campaign against Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda and the Taliban will be accomplished in the next few days, he could not rule out an engagement into Ramadan and winter.

"We are sensitive about Ramadan beginning in mid-November," Powell said. "But we cannot make that the sole determining factor behind what we do militarily."

Lengthy battle possible

The Northern Alliance did acknowledge that the recent American attacks on front-line Taliban positions signaled the start of a more aggressive U.S. campaign.

Northern Alliance and U.S. commanders have also met to discuss military strategy.

The Taliban -- the common enemy of the U.S. and Northern Alliance troops -- still control two strategic northern cities, Taloqan and Mazar-e Sharif.

Northern Alliance troops are engaging Taliban forces on both these fronts but it may be some time before Mazar-e Sharif changes hands.

"The fighting going on in Mazhar is not in the city, it is in the outskirts of Mazar-e Sharif in the mountains. It will be a few days before we can talk about the city itself," said Abdullah.



 
 
 
 


RELATED STORIES:
RELATED SITES:
See related sites about World
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

WORLD TOP STORIES:

 Search   

Back to the top