Alliance 'looted supplies and kidnapped civilians'

War on terrorism: Mazar-I-Sharif

The Northern Alliance, the West's new allies in Afghanistan, were accused of looting UN aid supplies and abducting civilians within hours of capturing Mazar-I-Sharif, as a massive international relief effort began with the northern city as its epicentre.

Thousands of tons of food began to be shipped to the city from the port of Termez across the Uzbek border and the European Union announced it was offering $13.4m (£9m) in new aid for Afghanistan, with Mazer as the main conduit.

UN officials reported that 10 trucks carrying aid to the Mazar region were seized by Alliance fighters. The convoy had just reached the city with 200 tons of supplies, including 300 hand-pumps for wells and 150 family-size tents equipped with heaters, when it was comman

deered. A further 89 tonnes of food – sugar, oil and high protein biscuits – later disappeared from a warehouse in the city . There were also reports of widespread violence and kidnapping of civilians after Taliban and Islamist fighters had been driven from the city.

The Taliban were also accused of looting as they retreated from Mazar. UNICEF officials said they had taken all the organisation's vehicles and communications equipment and its offices had been robbed of computers, furniture and radio equipment.

The capture of Mazar has been seen as crucial by the US, Britain and their allies not only militarily, but for the efforts needed to avert the impending humanitarian disaster with the oncoming winter. Northern regions of Afghanistan have already been suffering from severe drought.

Control of the city will enable large-scale supplies of food and medicine to be shipped in from the port of Termez in Uzbekistan across the Amu Dariya river. A former Soviet military airfield there can also be used to fly in aid on transport aircraft.

However, Mazer has been the scene of several massacres in the internecine Afghan civil war, the last one carried out by the Taliban and their al-Qa'ida allies when they captured the strategic city from the Northern Alliance. Washington and London had repeatedly warned the Alliance against retribution and lawlessness, and the opposition commanders had given assurances that they will keep their fighters under control. The claims that they have failed to do so will reinforce fears that a capture of the capital, Kabul, by the Alliance could result in widespread abuse of the mainly Pashtun population and further looting.

Stephanie Bunker, UN spokeswoman on coordination of Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan, said in Islamabad "There are unconfirmed reports that speak of incidents including violence and summary executions."

Lindsey Davis, of the UN World Food Programme, added "The situation is volatile with reports of looting, abduction of civilians from the city, uncontrolled freelance gunmen, and some street battles ongoing.

"We have food, staff and offices to help the impoverished Afghans in the northern areas. What we need is security. WFP hopes the security situation in Mazar-I-Sharif and the surrounding areas will stabilise soon," she added. In Brussels, Poul Nielson, the EU's humanitarian aid commissioner, said they were doing their "utmost to ensure that the relief gets through to those who need it most". The EU has committed $268m to Afghan-istan this year from its central budget and contributions from the 13 member nations.

Dockworkers at Termez began loading up thousands of sacks, containing 100lbs of flour each, into river barges to be sent across to the Afghan port of Hairaton.Future shipments will include more food and medicine as well as clothes and school supplies.

The route has been closed since 1997 when the Taliban captured Mazer. The Uzbek government has refused to reopen it until the city is won back as they are worried the Taliban will commandeer supplies.