Fears of anarchy as Kabul falls

Kabul has fallen. Taliban forces abandoned the Afghan capital overnight. Northern Alliance fighters marched in today, ignoring American pleas not to occupy the city.

The Washington-led coalition now faces a huge dilemma about who takes control of a society lapsing into anarchy. Conflicting reports tell of Taliban authority crumbling in Kandahar, the regime's power base, while fighting continues elsewhere around the country.

There are fears of serious conflict inside Kabul, as the predominantly Pashtun population faces occupation by the tribes of the Northern Alliance. It remains uncertain whether the Taliban army is now collapsing, or whether it may maintain strong resistance south of the capital.

Opposition defence minister, general Mohammad Fahim, and foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, were reported to have driven into Kabul in a black Landcruiser this morning.

They were followed by a column of military police dressed in dark green uniforms and armed with rifles. The Alliance is reported to be rushing in specially-trained security troops in an attempt to maintain order. The Alliance's interior minister, Yunis Qanoni, described those who entered Kabul early as "renegades". He insisted that the main Northern Alliance force remained on the outskirts of Kabul. The situation inside Kabul is causing concern among the US-led coalition about where this leaves their strategy of installing a broad-based interim government.

Downing Street today left open the possibility that an international peacekeeping force - including British forces - could go in to Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister's spokesman said that "any future deployments will want to recognise the political context in which such troops might be deployed and the sensitivities of local people". But he did not rule out such a move under a UN umbrella.

Tony Blair met his key political and military advisers, including the Chief of the Defence Staff, for an hour to assess the fast-changing position.

Pakistan called for a multinational force under the control of the United Nations to take charge in Kabul. Foreign office minister Aziz Khan said: "It is our hope that calm prevails and bloodshed is avoided.

"Pakistan holds to the view that the Northern Alliance forces must not occupy Kabul. Pakistan would like to see an early return of a durable peace and stability to Afghanistan, past experience has already demonstrated that no single group or faction can bring peace to the country."

An aide to the exiled King Zahir Shah said today that the Northern Alliance push into Kabul broke a promise it made to him a month ago.

Six men from the US special forces carrying M-16 assault rifles also entered the capital, after landing by helicopter at Bagram airbase in the north. An anti-Taliban warlord in south-west Afghanistan said his forces have also captured the whole of the strategic province of Nimruz which borders Iran.

The official Iranian news agency said the Northern Alliance had taken up positions along Afghanistan's border with Iran and cross-border trade is expected to return to normal soon.

Alliance soldiers were greeted like liberators by the people of Kabul. There were reports of at least seven foreign Taliban volunteers being executed by Alliance militia who had entered the city.

Foreign Office Minister Ben Bradshaw welcomed the fall of Kabul but said the Afghan campaign would not end until Osama bin Laden was brought to justice. He said: "We must never forget what this is all about, which is bringing to justice those responsible for 11 September."

Thousands of jubilant Northern Alliance fighters are seeking to continue their rout of the Taliban by marching on Kandahar, it was claimed today. There were reports today that the city's airport had been taken.

The Taliban's withdrawal from Kabul took place under cover of darkness. As they fell back the Taliban took with them eight foreign aid workers who had been facing trial accused of preaching Christianity.

After the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday major towns and cities and entire provinces in the north followed. An exception was Kunduz near the Tajikstan border where pro-Taliban forces put up ferocious resistance to an advance by Alliance troops. These forces, believed to be mainly Arabs and other foreign volunteers in bin Laden's al Qaeda network, are now surrounded.

There were reliable reports that Northern Alliance men were running amok in Mazar-i-Sharif. United Nations aid officials said law and order had broken down in the city and there are reports of abductions, murders and widespread looting.

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