Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.There was concerted pressure on the Northern Alliance to keep the majority of its fighters outside Kabul, even though a 2,000–strong policing force was already being moved into the city.
Pakistan this afternoon urged the United States to prevent the Northern Alliance taking over Kabul and said that a de–militarised zone should be established around the city.
A spokesman for the Pakistan Foreign Ministry told a news conference that no single group was capable of running Afghanistan and said that a broad–based government, under the auspices of the United Nations, held the best hope for the future.
The Northern Alliance has been forcibly warned by the US to stay out of Kabul.
At the United Nations, America, Russia and six nations that border Afghanistan pledged "to establish a broad–based Afghan administration on an urgent basis."
The aim is to put together a transitional leadership that is broadly acceptable, possibly including Taliban defectors. However, alliance leaders have rejected bringing in former Taliban members. Holding the capital increases the alliance's claim on a dominant role in a future government.
The northern alliance considers Pakistan a patron of the Taliban even through Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf abandoned them after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
General Musharraf has called for Kabul to be declared a neutral city. During an appearance Monday night on American television, he said the alliance's move on Kabul was "dangerous" because "we are now getting information that there are certain atrocities being perpetrated in Mazar–i–Sharif."
"And that is exactly my apprehension that we have seen a lot of atrocities, a lot of killings between the various ethnic groups in Kabul after the Soviets left, and that's why we are of the opinion that Kabul should be maintained as a demilitarized city," Gen Musharraf said.
UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon, who is currently in India, denied there was a power vacuum in Kabul.
"What is important, and this is why I'm in India, is that we discuss not only with the main ethnic groups in Afghanistan but equally with the important regional players like India how they see a way forwards towards a stable and lasting government," he told the BBC.
He added that it was vital to set up a new, shared power structure in order to create peace in Afghanistan.
"The United Kingdom is part of a determined diplomatic offensive to discuss ways forward in Afghanistan.
"It is important that we have a broad–based government and it is important equally that the United Nations plays a role in that."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments