Allies split over peace plan to let fighters escape

A SPLIT between America and its Afghan allies opened up yesterday over a senior Afghan commander’s proposal to allow Taleban and al- Qaeda fighters to flee the mountains of eastern Afghanistan unharmed.
News of the peace proposal came as hundreds of Afghan troops working with US forces swept into the Shahi-kot mountains for what is hoped to be the final push against the militants. Afghan tanks rumbled up the snow-covered mountain as American B1 bombers attacked the rocky ridge where the remaining hideouts are situated.

The Pentagon said that Operation Anaconda was winding down but denied that surrender negotiations were under way and insisted that there was much work to be done to eliminate pockets of al-Qaeda resistance.