http://www.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2002/3/3-18-8.htm

One of the Taliban commanders, whom on the condition of anonimity,
has told AL JAZEERA that Taliban leaders are having negotiations with
high - ranking U.S officials for the possible release of twenty U.S
soldiers (18 men and 2 women) which the Taliban have captured during
the recent operation ANACONDA in Gardez in eastern Afghanistan.

In a televised interview with AL JAZEERA at the afghan- pakistani
border, the Taliban commander, whom didn't show his face, said to AL
JAZEERA that the U.S is having talks with who ever is left of the
Taliban commanders for the release of those 20 POWs .

The Taliban commander also said that they would release the U.S POWs
only if the U.S government would release the Taliban and Al Qaeda
prisoners in Guantanamo. He also threatend to increase the scope of
the guerilla war which had started to oust the U.S forces from
Afghanistan.

He also assured that the US POWs are being treated in a very good
manner, that is according to the Islamic law on the treatment of
POWs, unlike the way that the Taliban and Al Qaeda prisoners are
being treated at camp X- RAY.

The Taliban commander also talked about the huge loses the Americans
have had, and he also said that sixteen U.S aircrafts were downed as
a result of the Taliban and Al Qaeda fire, three of those aircrafts
are intact because they were captured after a ground battle.

When the commander was asked by the AL JAZEERA reporter about the
whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden and Mullah Omar, he said that he
doesn't know where they are after they had split.