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Mazar-e-Sharif captured, says Dostum

Afghanistan's ruling Taleban on Friday night suffered a setback with the opposition forces entering Mazar-e-Sharif and claiming control over the key northern city.

"In a short period of time we entered Mazar-e-Sharif. We have everything, including the airport," Uzbek general and opposition commander Abdul Rashid Dostum said.

Dostum told CNN that the Taleban appeared to have abandoned the city after they lost 90 soldiers in the battle.

Russian NTV network quoted Dostum's aide Mohammed Kargar as saying over telephone that the Uzbek general's forces had captured the "very important city".

Kargar said over 300 Taleban fighters were taken prisoners in the offensive.

The report could not be independently confirmed.

Re-taking Mazar-e-Sharif from the Taleban would open up vital supply links to the Northern Alliance opposition from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

In Washington, Pentagon officials said, "It is hard to tell exactly what is going on."

"(But) what we have seen is encouraging. We're not going to say more than that," Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clark told reporters.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair told a press conference in Downing Street: "As you can see from the advances made in and around Mazar-e-Sharif, the momentum is continuing."

"There's only one outcome. That will be ensuring the objectives of our campaign are met in full," he said

PTI

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