Word: northerners
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...here show in his stance toward the local Taliban. "All of the Taliban soldiers were from our tribes; they were not criminals," he said, meaning there were no foreign Taliban among them. When he assumed command in Musa Qal'eh one month ago there was no Taliban resistance, despite northern Helmand being one of their strongest centers. The lack of resistance is not because their forces withdrew. "They are still living here," said Haji Abdul. "The Afghan Taliban are our relatives, our brothers and cousins." His men will arrest the top commanders, though none have yet been detained...
...Haji Shir Mohammed began by defending the resilient warlord he'd come to tame. Rais was never the Taliban powerbroker people had thought, the governor insisted. I looked at our Taliban gunman. He had fought with Rais against the Northern Alliance in the Panjshir Valley and well knew his authority. The gunman rolled his eyes. The governor went on: Rais and the elders had "confirmed the absence of Mullah Omar". We asked how he could be so sure? "All the people of Baghran are of our tribe, my own tribe (Alizai). I'm quite sure they wouldn't create problems...
...Kabul is more controlled, but perhaps no less tense. Until last week Akhund worked there for Hamid Karzai, head of the country's interim government. He paints a similar picture of the capital; Karzai is in charge, but might is wielded by Uzbeks and Tajiks of the Northern Alliance. Different worlds are colliding, and the groups from north must cope with Pashtuns from the south. Discussions are said to be ongoing with defense minister Mohammed Fahim, of the Northern Alliance, to forge a durable arrangement. Says Akhund, "Only a few Pashtuns remain with Karzai for his protection." It will...
...BRITAIN Members' Benefits British legislators voted to allow Sinn Fein's four Members of Parliament to claim expense payments and office space even though the republicans cannot take their seats in the House of Commons because they refuse to swear allegiance to the Queen. The Conservatives and Northern Ireland's unionists opposed the move, branding it an unwarranted concession to the I.R.A.'s political wing...
...SOUTHERN EUROPE Winter Hits with a Vengeance Winter came suddenly to southern Europe. Snowstorms swept Mediterranean coasts, cutting off villages in Corsica and bringing temperatures of -10?C to Turin and Madrid. Greece was badly affected, with more than 300 northern villages snowed in, all northern airports closed and 2 m drifts halting a train for 17 hours near the northern village of Petrades. In Turkey a man froze to death in Istanbul as snow cut off access to thousands of villages. Heavy rain caused floods that claimed seven lives...