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N Alliance captures Tora Bora; Osama escapes

Anti-Taliban forces have captured the main base of Osama bin Laden in the Tora Bora complex of eastern Afghanistan, a Northern Alliance spokesman said on Friday, and added that there was no sign of the Saudi dissident.

"The last and main base of bin Laden in Tora Bora was captured on Thursday night," Mohammad Habeel said.

However, an Alliance commander was quoted as saying that bin Laden was still hiding in the caves of Tora Bora

"Our troops, led by commander Hazrat Ali, said we have taken almost all of Tora Bora and its main caves," Habeel said.

"Bin Laden was not in Tora Bora during the past days of fighting. He has probably slipped into Pakistan," he added.

Meanwhile, anti-Taliban commander Haji Mohammad Zaman said bin Laden was in the area of Melawa mountain in the Tora Bora region.

"He is here," Zaman told reporters on the frontlines around Melawa mountain.

"My forces are 50 to 80 metres from the forces of Al Qaeda," he said, referring to bin Laden's organisation.

There was also confusion about Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar's whereabouts. US-led coalition spokesman Kenton Keith said Mullah Omar was believed to be in Kandahar despite reports that he had disappeared.

"The opposition forces are closing in on him and we expect at some point, within a reasonable period, he will be in the hands of the opposition," Keith said.

Agencies

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