November 23, 2001	Friday	Ramazan 7, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: Pashtun tribal elder Hamid Karazai said on Thursday he was still hopeful the Taliban would surrender their southern stronghold of Kandahar despite a vow from the militia to fight to the death.

“If they don’t do so, it will be bad for them,” Karazai told AFP by satellite phone from neighbouring Uruzgan province.

He did not disclose with whom he was in contact but said the Islamic militia was still in control of Kandahar, its spiritual headquarters and home of leader Mulla Omar.

Taliban forces have concentrated in Kandahar after retreating from Kabul and most other parts of the country over the past two weeks.

Omar’s spokesman Syed Tayyab Agha said on Wednesday there was no question of surrender and no negotiations were underway.

“... our forces in Kandahar and surrounding provinces are enough to defend our present controlled areas,” he told reporters at a town in Kandahar province near the border with Pakistan.

“The people living in our provinces are soldiers. They are well trained,” he said, adding the Islamic militia still held “three or four” provinces in the south.

Karzai, an ally of former king Mohammed Zahir Shah, recently returned from exile with US backing to stir up opposition to the Taliban among the southern Pashtun tribes, the militia’s power base.

He said he was in contact with the Taliban in Kandahar by telephone.

“They (Taliban) are sending messages. They want negotiations to work out a solution. I am indeed hopeful a solution will be found,” he said.

Karazai said there was no deadline for a negotiated settlement and “we are carrying on the process.”—AFP