Taliban Surrendered

The anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan began to take over Kandahar, the last stronghold of Taliban, on 7th. The U.S. announced that it will reject any kind of negotiations to free Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban supreme leader, and plans to bring him to justice as an international terrorist.

Spokesman Ari Fleischer of the White House said, "President George W.Bush clearly expressed that he will bring justice to the people who provided the hiding places for the terrorists." on a briefing on 6th. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld also said that, "The U.S. clearly presented its position to the anti-Taliban leaders that the Taliban and the terrorists of Al Qaeda should be punished." during a news conference on Thursday.

Rumsfeld continued, "If you are asking, would an arrangement with Omar, where he could `live in dignity` in the Kandahar area or some place in Afghanistan, be consistent with what I have said, the answer is no." He also told that, while the rank-and-file Taliban fighters will be sent back to their villages, the treatment for the senior officials of the Taliban has not been decided.

Rumsfeld was asked whether the U.S. would insist on U.S. justice or would he agree to let an international tribunal deal with Omar in his briefing at the Senate on 6th. He replied, "We would prefer to have Omar." It implies that the U.S. strongly wants to conduct the judicial proceedings.

Hamid Karzai, the Head of the interim government in Afghanistan, said, " If Omar is suspicious of involvement with terrorism, he must face justice." He added that a planned pardon, which he announced previously, will be limited only to the rank-and-file fighters of the Taliban. Karzai continued that, "Our forces are taking over the weapons from the Taliban fighters in Kandahar. The surrendering process is well controlled."

Ha Jong-Dae orionha@donga.com