1,800 Taliban deserted in past 24 hours-opposition
 
BERLIN, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Some 1,800 fighters from Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regime have deserted and joined the the opposition Northern Alliance in the past 24 hours, a Northern Alliance representative said on Wednesday.

"Since yesterday there have been almost 1,800 deserters," Abed Nadjib, an official at the Northern Alliance's embassy in Germany, told Reuters. He said the Taliban's military was estimated to have a strength of 15,000 to 25,000 men.

"They have come over with weapons, ammunition, everything," Nadjib said. He said he had the information from the Northern Alliance government in northern Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance is fighting the Taliban regime.

Nadjib said he did not think the Taliban regime would survive for long as U.S.-led bombing raids since Sunday had deprived them of air power.

He added that rather than commit major ground troops, it would make more sense for the United States to provide funding and equipment to Northern Alliance fighters to carry on the ground war against the Taliban.