Hundreds of al-Qaida fighters allowed to flee Tora Bora

The anti-Taliban Eastern Alliance, a loose collection of tribal warlords from areas around the Afghan city of Jalalabad, have claimed some local tribal leaders have helped hundreds of suspected al-Qaida members flee across the border into Pakistan.

The Eastern Alliance’s governing council has censured two tribal leaders after accusing them of helping the fighters to flee Tora Bora, where they have been under siege for weeks. A top alliance official said hundreds of people were allowed to flee the Tora Bora region, including many senior al-Qa’ida commanders. Pakistan has rejected the allegations, saying it would not allow the al-Qaida fighters to cross the border. An Interior Ministry spokesman said Pakistan has arrested 108 people as part of George W Bush’s so-called "war on terrorism".

Meanwhile, US attack helicopters and warplanes flew missions over the mountain valleys in Tora Bora today, despite claims that the al-Qaida fighters who have been defending the mountains for weeks are now defeated. Afghan tribal fighters have raided several caves in the White Mountains,

seizing documents and maps. An Eastern Alliance commander said a handful of non-Afghan fighters were captured in Tora Bora overnight without resistance and more stragglers are expected to surrender as the weather worsens in the coming days. Despite this apparent success, the whereabouts of Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden is still unknown.