Mullah Mohammad Omar has urged his forces to stand and fight as the United States continues its build-up near the last remaining Taliban stronghold of Kandahar. In a radio message, the supreme leader of Afghanistan's Taliban said that the defence of the city was not a question of tribes but of Islam.
It was confirmed earlier today that a CIA officer was killed in an uprising at a prison near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif. The body of Johnny Spann, aged 32, has been recovered and positively identified, a CIA spokesman said.
In a separate development, the United States Defence Secretary said that US warplanes have bombed a compound near Kandahar. The compound is believed to be used by leaders of the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda terrorist group.
Donald Rumsfeld said that it was believed important members of the two groups had been present in the compound but it was not clear if any leaders had been killed.
