No civilian casualties claim Northern Alliance

The Northern Alliance says allied strikes on Afghanistan did not cause any civilian casualties and all the targets had been hit…

The Northern Alliance says allied strikes on Afghanistan did not cause any civilian casualties and all the targets had been hit and knocked out.

It claims the attacks did substantial damage to the Taliban air force and brought confusion and fear among its leaders.

Opposition fighters are now preparing offensives on key cities.

"We are ready. We are waiting for a good opportunity to start a fresh offensive on Kabul and Mazar-al-Sharif and other parts of the country," said Colonel Abdul Qudussy, military attache at the Afghan Embassy in Dushanbe, Tajikistan's capital.

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Qudussy said preliminary information indicate the strikes focused on dealing a death blow to the Taliban's air power.

"It's quite clear the strike was to finalise the Taliban air force," he said through an interpreter. "We are also hopeful that our own air force will join this coalition against terror and the Taliban."

Qudussy declined a request for details on the opposition alliance's air capacity, which is believed to be only a few aging aircraft.

Movements by Taliban leaders and fighters during and after the air strikes indicated that the militia was unstrung by the attack, he said.

"Some of the prominent Taliban troops and leaders, last night when the air strikes began, they came to the front lines but in the morning they left the front lines," Qudussy said. "They are very confused by these air strikes, very afraid."

He suggested the movements by fighters and commanders indicated they were considering defecting to the opposition.

Opposition figures previously have contended many in the Taliban were on the verge of going over to the other side, but observers are questioning whether this assessment is accurate. PA