'Taliban is defeated' says Pentagon official

A top Pentagon official says the US has defeated the Taliban.

The US deputy defence secretary warns that al-Qaida terrorists are still at large though, and will be difficult to find.

Paul Wolfowitz says it is difficult to determine how many terrorists, their supporters, or even key leaders have been killed in the operation.

"It ain't over yet," he said at a Pentagon briefing.

"We've accomplished our one major objective, which is the defeat of the Taliban. ... Large numbers of al-Qaida terrorists are still at large. It's going to be a very long and difficult job."

Mr Wolfowitz said there is no clear evidence that top terrorist leader Osama bin Laden has fled Afghanistan, but the war against his network has seriously impeded his ability to operate.

"He doesn't have a lot of good options," the deputy secretary said.

The US effort will continue, with US forces focusing on blocking possible escape routes and to hit sanctuaries where the terrorists might have fled, Mr Wolfowitz said.

Earlier, Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke said the fighting in Afghanistan is fierce.

"It's pretty intense fighting and pretty intense activity," she said, speaking of US bombing and anti-Taliban fighting in the holdout areas around Jalalabad and Tora Bora.