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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Afghans flee amid fears of battle | Afghans flee amid fears of battle |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Hundreds of people have fled their homes in a district of southern Afghanistan fearing fighting between troops and the Taleban. | |
| The militants and locals say Taleban forces have seized villages in Arghandab district near Kandahar city. | |
| Afghan and Nato officials say they are redeploying troops to respond to "any potential threats" from the rebels. | Afghan and Nato officials say they are redeploying troops to respond to "any potential threats" from the rebels. |
| But the US-led coalition says its troops have found no evidence the district is controlled by the Taleban. | |
| On Friday about 350 Taleban fighters escaped with other inmates from a jail in Kandahar. Only a handful of prisoners have been recaptured. | |
| The BBC's Martin Patience in Kabul says the jail raid was a major coup for the Taleban, which draws much of its support from the south of the country. | |
| It was not immediately clear if the freed Taleban inmates were among the fighters who seized the villages on Monday. | It was not immediately clear if the freed Taleban inmates were among the fighters who seized the villages on Monday. |
| Leaflets | Leaflets |
| Afghan military officials say 300 troops were flown to Kandahar on Tuesday, while others arrived on Monday. | Afghan military officials say 300 troops were flown to Kandahar on Tuesday, while others arrived on Monday. |
| We have gathered in Arghandab because we want to capture an important city like Kandahar Taleban commander Mullah Daoud class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7459736.stm"> 'My family were forced to flee' | |
| Witnesses have told the BBC there has been a build up of Nato-led and Afghan forces in Arghandab district. | Witnesses have told the BBC there has been a build up of Nato-led and Afghan forces in Arghandab district. |
| "The Taleban are on the move, they can't stay in one place for too long," Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Gen Zahir Azimi told the BBC. | "The Taleban are on the move, they can't stay in one place for too long," Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Gen Zahir Azimi told the BBC. |
| "They have also blown up a few bridges. We are looking for them everywhere." | "They have also blown up a few bridges. We are looking for them everywhere." |
| Nato helicopters have been dropping leaflets on villages telling people to stay in their houses before an operation. | |
| One taxi driver in Kandahar told the BBC he had driven seven families from Arghandab to Kandahar since Monday. | One taxi driver in Kandahar told the BBC he had driven seven families from Arghandab to Kandahar since Monday. |
| Villagers in Arghandab district contacted by the BBC Pashto service said the Taleban had blown up three bridges and planted bombs under others. | Villagers in Arghandab district contacted by the BBC Pashto service said the Taleban had blown up three bridges and planted bombs under others. |
| Reports on news agencies say the militants have also been planting mines. | Reports on news agencies say the militants have also been planting mines. |
| Mullah Daoud, who claimed to be a Taleban commander, rang the BBC from an unspecified location. | Mullah Daoud, who claimed to be a Taleban commander, rang the BBC from an unspecified location. |
| He said: "We have gathered in Arghandab because we want to capture an important city like Kandahar." | He said: "We have gathered in Arghandab because we want to capture an important city like Kandahar." |
| Mark Laity, Nato spokesman in Kabul, told the BBC there were "indications of Taleban activity which we can't afford to ignore". | Mark Laity, Nato spokesman in Kabul, told the BBC there were "indications of Taleban activity which we can't afford to ignore". |
| But he said the exact level of Taleban presence in the area was "rather harder to determine" at the moment. | But he said the exact level of Taleban presence in the area was "rather harder to determine" at the moment. |
| Diplomatic row | Diplomatic row |
| Arghandab district lies about 5km (three miles) north-west of Kandahar city and is an important agricultural area. | |
| Taleban leader Mullah Omar used to have a house in the district, which Soviet troops never managed to subdue during years of fighting in the 1980s. | |
| Kandahar is one of the key battlegrounds of the current rebel insurgency against Afghanistan's government and troops from Nato and a US-led coalition. | |
| President Hamid Karzai is from the city and it is also the birthplace of the Taleban. | President Hamid Karzai is from the city and it is also the birthplace of the Taleban. |
| Friday's mass jailbreak prompted some of the angriest exchanges between Kabul and Islamabad in recent years. | Friday's mass jailbreak prompted some of the angriest exchanges between Kabul and Islamabad in recent years. |
| On Monday, Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan was summoned to receive a formal protest over remarks by President Karzai. | On Monday, Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan was summoned to receive a formal protest over remarks by President Karzai. |
| Mr Karzai had said on Sunday that Afghanistan had the right to send troops across the border to chase militants taking shelter in Pakistan. | Mr Karzai had said on Sunday that Afghanistan had the right to send troops across the border to chase militants taking shelter in Pakistan. |
| The US says cross-border raids from Pakistan are a growing problem. | The US says cross-border raids from Pakistan are a growing problem. |
Are you in southern Afghanistan? Do you know the villages in the Arghandab district? Send us your comments. | Are you in southern Afghanistan? Do you know the villages in the Arghandab district? Send us your comments. |