US embassy building torched in Kabul

Thousands of angry Afghans have sacked and set fire to the US embassy building, which was abandoned in 1989, according reports…

Thousands of angry Afghans have sacked and set fire to the US embassy building, which was abandoned in 1989, according reports from witnesses.

"Death to Bush", the protesters shouted, burning effigies of the American president and ripping US flags. We will support Islam and bin Laden, they shouted.

Demonstrators
Afghan demonstrators hold a map of Afghansitan depicting British and Russian graves, and the phrase "You're welcome next invader" by an American grave.

Stones were hurled at the gates and offices of the former embassy before it was set alight.

Earlier, Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar urged the American people to question the motives of their government. "You should know whatever incidents and sorrow you suffer... are a result of the erroneous policies of your government," he said in a statement faxed from his headquarters in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar.

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Despite the public show of support in Kabul, the Taliban have suffered losses in fighting in the Northern part of the country, according to the Taliban opposition in the Afghan civil war.

The Northern Alliance are claiming the capture of six strategic Taliban-held posts northwest of Taloqan, the capital of Takhar province.

The opposition offensive was focused on the districts of Hazar Bagh and Ziarat, around 15 miles from Taloqan, said Mr Mohammad Habeel, spokesman for opposition military Commander Mohammad Fahim.

"We captured six important posts in the course of last night," Mr Habeel said. Adding that they were expecting a Taliban counter-attack.

Fighting has intensified in Afghanistan in the past week, with the disparate anti-Taliban forces that make up the Northern Alliance apparently emboldened by the massive US military build up in the region.

The Northern Alliance has broadly agreed to assist the US war on terrorism, sensing a golden opportunity to topple the Taliban after years of civil war. Whitehouse spokesman Mr Ari Fleischer said in Washington yesterday that any US military retaliation for the attacks on the US was "not designed to replace one regime with another."

However, Mr Fleischer said Washington would welcome help from the Northern Alliance which controls enclaves in northern Afghanistan along borders with central Asian states where some US military forces have been deployed.

AFP &