AFGHANISTAN: TALIBAN ARMY CAPTURE CITY OF MAZAR-E-SHARIF UPDATE (2)

• published: 30 Jul 2015
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Dari/Natsound Forces allied to the Taliban religious army have captured the stronghold of the northern warlord, Rashid Dostum, in Afghanistan. The capture of Mazar-e-Sharif leaves only a few pockets of resistance by the former government that was ousted from Kabul in September. It unites nearly all of Afghanistan under one authority for the first time since the Soviet army withdrew in 1989. Tanks flying the white flag of the Taliban religious army rolled into Mazar-e-Sharif on Saturday -- stronghold of the northern warlord, Rashid Dostum. They met virtually no resistance. On the lead tank was General Malik Pahlawan, who until the past few days was General Dostum's second-in-command. His defection to the Taliban on Monday marked the beginning of the northern warlord's downfall. It was not clear as the troops rolled in how many among their number were mutinous Dostum troops -- and how many were Taliban fighters. But what was clear was that Dostum had been routed. Reports suggest that the general -- who is of Uzbek descent -- has fled to Uzbekistan. Dostum has ruled this fiefdom by routinely switching allegiance. The tactic has kept him in power in Afghanistan's opportunistic political world. UPSOUND: (Dari) Journalist asks question: '' Where is General Dostum?''; soldiers Answer: ''Where is General Dostum.. He has run away.''. This soldier was believed to be a Dostum sympathiser -- and was brusquely disarmed. As they entered town, jubilant Malik supporters ripped down giant posters of warlord Rashid Dostum from traffic posts, pillars and public buildings. Some even fired submachine guns at pictures of Dostum. The first town to go on Saturday was Shebergan -- Dostum's military headquarters 125 kilometres (80 miles) west of Mazar-e-Sharif. The air base was seized by General Malik Pahlawan, who earlier this week was the first of several senior military figures to defect to the Taliban. Later, Dostum's air force chief, General Jamil, and two other pilots also flew their fighter jets to Kabul and defected. Forces that remained loyal to Dostum -- seen here on the frontline at Sar-e-Pol on Friday -- are now reported to be making their way to the border with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The fall of the air base put Mazar-e-Sharif within reach, across an open, desolate plain with no barrier against an attacking force. Mazar-e-Sharif's almost bloodless capture follows a pattern that has seen the Taliban religious army rise from obscurity three years ago to ruling almost the entire country. It captured territory from local warlords and guerrilla forces, usually without a fight and finally reached the capital, Kabul in September last year. During that time, it has earned a reputation for its adherence to an uncompromisingly fundamentalist interpretation of Islam. Dostum -- allied with Commander Ahmed Shah Massood -- held firm against the Taliban in the north throughout the winter, but this spring cracks appeared in Dostum's command structure. In this show of strength in April, Dostum wheeled out his heavy artillery. But the hardware was not enough to shore up his military. General Malik Pahlawan's defection earlier this week set off a string of defections and weakened Dostum's defences. In the end, Dostum's cavalry were unable to ride against the tide of war-weariness which has sized this country after nearly 20 years of conflict. The Taliban's latest victory unites almost all of Afghanistan for the first time since the Soviet's withdrew in 1989. Takhar, parts of Kunduz and Baghlan are still outside Taliban control. The largest single block of territory is the northwestern province of Badakhshan which is held by Ahmad Shah Massood, the defence chief of the government ousted from Kabul last year. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/92c34d7d5ba33ef92e02b33dd666ab6e Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork