Afghan opp claims capturing key town (AFP, FEB 14)

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Afghan opposition forces on Friday captured a key town in northern Kunduz province after heavy fighting with the Taliban militia, Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said.

The opposition alliance launched a pre-dawn offensive and after three hours of "fierce fighting" seized Qalae Zal town, located across the Oxus River, also known as Amu Darya, AIP said.

The factional fighting erupted as international aid workers were struggling to reach thousands of homeless Afghans in nearby northeastern province of Takhar, rocked by a massive earthquake last week in which more than 4,500 people died.

The opposition claimed the local population sided with the attacking forces causing difficulties in the Taliban ranks.

At least 11 Taliban fighters were killed and 60 others were taken prisoners AIP quoted an opposition spokesman as saying. The Taliban troops fled leaving behind a large quantity of arms and ammunition, it said.

No independent confirmation was available and the Taliban officials were also not immediately available for comment.

The opposition alliance includes forces of former president Burhanuddin Rabbani fighting under the command of ex-defence minister Ahmad Shah Masood, ethnic Uzbek troops of general Abdul Rashid Dostam and a poro-Iranian Shiite faction Hezb-i-Wahdat.

AIP said the plan to launch the assault on Qalae Zal was approved by Rabbani who heads opposition's shadow government in several northern provinces.

The town is strategically located near Afghanistan's main river port of Hairatan which brings supplies from the Central Asian republics to the war ravaged country.

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The militia earlier declared a unilateral truce in areas near the quake-hit districts.