Afghanistan's ruling Taliban have repulsed a major offensive by the opposition Northern Alliance after intense overnight bombing by US-led forces in the north, according to the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP).
In a three-hour battle, the Taliban succeeded in defending their positions near Dara-i-Suf in Samangan province against attack by fighters of the Northern Alliance, the news agency quoted a Taliban spokesman as saying.
No independent confirmation of the report was available.
The opposition forces were not able to advance even an inch and there has been no change in the front lines, the spokesman said.
There was no immediate comment from the Northern Alliance, led in Samangan by ethnic Uzbek warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostum.
Taliban positions around Dara-i-Suf have been bombed by US-led forces for more than two weeks but their defences were still strong, AIP reported.
The report comes a day after the United States carpet bombed Taliban front lines north of Kabul, where it has been bombing almost every day since October 21st.