U.S. allowed Pakistan to evacuate fighters?

BANGI (Afghanistan), NOV. 23. Northern Alliance soldiers said today that Pakistani airplanes had once again flown into the encircled city of Kunduz to evacuate Pakistanis who have been fighting alongside Afghan Taliban forces trapped there.

The planes arrived as Alliance leaders prepared to accept a partial surrender of Taliban forces in the last northern city they hold. But contradictory signals continued to surround the fate of the town.

Earlier in the week, Alliance officials said they had been told by a Taliban leader in Kunduz that at least three Pakistani Air Force planes had landed in recent days on similar missions.

Two more planes landed Thursday night, according to the latest report. One Northern Alliance official said that a group of people had been observed today waiting for another plane to arrive at the Kunduz airport.

None of the sightings could be confirmed. American officials, who have been evasive on this subject, say they do not have information on the planes.

The U.S. is indebted to Pakistan for its support of the war against terrorism but has said it wants any foreign fighters trapped in Kunduz captured or killed.

Pakistan has made clear that it is deeply concerned about some of its agents and soldiers trapped in the town.

Pakistani officials said as many as 800 American Special Operations troops had established themselves at two Pakistani bases. Their chief task is to find and kill Osama and other members of the Al-Qaeda, the terrorist network. Officially, these bases are supposed to be used only for search-and-rescue missions.

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Pak. denies evacuation

ISLAMABAD, NOV. 24. Pakistan today denied reports that it had flown its aircraft to Afghanistan to airlift stranded Pakistani military and ISI personnel from Kunduz.

Describing the reports as baseless, a Pakistan Government spokesman said tonight it was regrettable that despite Pakistan's repeated denials regarding the presence of any Pakistan troops or Isi official in Afghanistan, a section of the foreign press continued to be misled by ``fabricated'' stories originating from India.

The Pakistan spokesman's denial and accusation of bias followed a report in New York Times today saying that Pakistani planes once again was flown into Kunduz to evacuate Pakistanis.

- PTI

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