October 8, 2001	Monday	Rajab 20, 1422

WASHINGTON, Oct 7: The US will support the Afghan opposition in its fight against the ruling Taliban militia, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Sunday, without indicating if the support would be military.

Rumsfeld said one of the US goals was to “develop relationships with groups in Afghanistan that oppose the Taliban regime and the foreign terrorists it supports.”

He also said the US was looking to “alter the military balance over time to deny the Taliban the offensive systems that hamper the progress of opposition forces.

“We have to create the conditions for a sustained effort that will assist those forces in the country that are opposed to the Taliban, that are opposed to Al Qaeda,” Rumsfeld said, adding that this included using financial, political and diplomatic pressure.

“And to the extend we can we must use overt and covert activities to improve target info,” he said.—AFP