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Afghanistan
Peaceful solution sought for Taliban-occupied Afghan town
2007-02-07
Taliban fighters were holed up in a southern Afghan town for a fifth day as officials said they wanted to end the occupation without military action that could cost civilian lives.

NATO planes on Sunday dropped government leaflets into Musa Qala, which was captured Friday, urging the rebels to leave or face action. Thousands of people have already left, fearing bombing raids by NATO warplanes. "The government is still trying to find a peaceful solution to the problem to avoid civilian casualties," interior ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told AFP on Tuesday.

General Rahmatullah Raufi said the army was on a state of alert but was awaiting the outcome of negotiations between tribal elders and the Taliban. "The elders want to solve the issue peacefully. If they fail, then government will use military means to take control of the town," he said.
Afghan military corp commander for the south, General Rahmatullah Raufi, said the army was on a state of alert but was awaiting the outcome of negotiations between tribal elders and the Taliban. "The elders want to solve the issue peacefully. We respect that and we are waiting. If they fail, then government will use military means to take control of the town," he said.

Another military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the government was "waiting for as many civilians to leave the town as possible to limit the possibility of civilian casualties from military operations."

Scores of Taliban militants stormed Musa Qala late Thursday, breaking a controversial deal in September which saw British troops agree not to enter a five-kilometre (three-mile) radius around the town. The local elders had appointed an auxiliary police force, but there had been no direct government presence in the town.

The official said there would be no more such deals in the future. "If the Taliban leave or not, police and army forces will go to the town this time," he said.
Posted by:Fred

#1  Hopefully, the Talibunnies are surrounded (and not in the Saudi sense)
Posted by: Frank G   2007-02-07 07:35  

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