Alliance advances towards Kabul

Fighters of the Northern Alliance are at the gates of Kabul following the collapse of resistance by the Taliban.

Taliban troops are reportedly in flight after days of bombing by US warplanes on their frontline positions.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he expected alliance commanders to honour their commitment not to take Kabul as the international community thrashes out a new political settlement for the country.

"As people speaking for the Northern Alliance have made clear, it is not their intention to do that," he said.

It is unclear whether commanders on the ground would be able to restrain troops fired up by their victories and carried forward by the momentum of their advance.

"The bombing has had a huge influence," Mr Blair's official spokesman said. "The strategy is on track."

With Taliban forces reportedly in retreat across northern Afghanistan, almost half the country was said to be in alliance hands.

At one stage alliance commanders on the Kabul front claimed to have advanced nine miles in just one hour before they were finally halted by Taliban resistance.

Truckloads of alliance fighters were reported to be shouting "God is great" as they headed along the road south to Kabul to shore up their newly-won positions against counter-attack.

Senior alliance spokesman Bismillah Khan said they had advanced to Mir Bacha Kot about 12 miles north of the city and were awaiting further orders. "We are at the gates of Kabul," he declared.