Marines close in on Bin Laden

Hundreds of US marines are today at an airfield outside Kandahar, the last stronghold of the Taliban.

They are preparing for a search and destroy mission to capture and kill Osama bin Laden and the Taliban leadership. It is the biggest allied ground deployment so far, and could mark the final stage of the campaign in southern Afghanistan.

The US expects to have up to 2,000 marines on the ground in the Kandahar region by tomorrow night. "In short order you will have thousands of marines in the backyard of the Taliban," said Colonel Peter Miller, who commands 9,000 marines and navy personnel in the region.

The airfield close to the city was first seized by local Pashtun tribal forces commanded by Gud Fida Mohammad, a leader of the Achkazai tribe.

The local fighters cleared the runway for the arrival of American attack and transport helicopters carrying troops from one of the two Marine Expeditionary Units with the task force in the Arabian Sea.

Some 700 US marines are now holding the airfield and will be joined by up to a thousand more in the next few days, according to US sources.

Last week the spiritual head of the Taliban, Mullah Mohammad Omar - whose main base is in Kandahar - announced that he was "going underground" to continue the fight against the Americans and the Northern Alliance in a guerrilla campaign in the mountains. He said he was handing over command in Kandahar to his deputy.

But a defector from the Taliban, Mullah Khaksar Akhund, has told the US forces that Mullah Omar is still in Kandahar and intends to make a last stand there.

The defector said that Omar is in regular contact with Bin Laden, though he could not say where the Saudi renegade is hiding. It is known that the Talibanal Qaeda leadership send messages in 10 second bursts over their High Frequency radio network - US jammers from navy aircraft ensure that they cannot transmit for any longer periods.

Several tribal armies prepared the way for the US marines by cutting off roads running south from Kabul. The main route to the border with Pakistan was cut by the fighters of the Noorzai tribe, who are now poised to take Spin Buldak.

The largest army is that of Hami Karzai of the 500,000 strong Popilzai tribe, and a supporter of the former king Zahia Shah. Another tribal army is advancing on Kandahar from the west.

During the night Taliban fighters fleeing to the border were seen throwing off their distinctive black turbans and putting on the more anonymous white skull caps. Powerful Chinook helicopters flew in heavy weapons and other equipment for the marines. Some carried light reconnaissance-Humvee all-terrain vehicles. They will be used for mounting land patrols to search for the remains of Bin Laden's command. The marines are unlikely to become embroiled in the siege of Kandahar itself.

Today American bombers renewed their assault on the Taliban stronghold with a three-hour mission.

The new operation has been codenamed "Swift Freedom", according to the US marine Commander, General James Mattis, aboard the assault carrier USS Pelelieu in the Arabian Sea.

"We have landed and we now own terrain in south Afghanistan. We are going to support the Afghan people's effort to free themselves of the terrorists and the people who support the terrorists.

He said the US would build up "a formidable force" for this last phase of the battle in southern Afghanistan. The next group of marines is expected to be flown in aboard Hercules transport planes from the Gulf. It had been suggested they may already be supported by a small force of British and Australian SAS and Royal Marines of 40 Commando - though the Ministry of Defence would not confirm nor deny this.

The US and British special forces believe they have narrowed down the last hiding place of Bin laden to three areas - two in complexes of caves and tunnels 30 to 40 miles east and west of Kandahar. Local tribesmen now think he has fled to a fortified encampment about 35 miles southwest of Jalalabad.

A local tribal official, Hazarat Ali, says that Bin Laden has been seen near Tofra Bora in Nangahar province. "He is travelling usually on horseback. At night he sleeps in caves." The US has sent special forces to Jalalabad.

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