U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (R) and Tajikistan's President Imomali Rakhmonov meet in Dushanbe July 10, 2006. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Monday blamed the re-emergence of the Taliban for drug trafficking and called on European countries to do more in Afghanistan to quell the trade which hurts their societies. REUTERS/Stringer (RUSSIA) 

U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (R) and Tajikistan's President Imomali Rakhmonov meet in Dushanbe July 10, 2006. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Monday blamed the re-emergence of the Taliban for drug trafficking and called on European countries to do more in Afghanistan to quell the trade which hurts their societies. REUTERS/Stringer (RUSSIA) 

A Northern Alliance soldier keeps guard by moonlight on a hilltop of
the Ikhonem Hill at the front line close to the Tajikistan border in
northern Afghanistan, October 30, 2001. Uniformed U.S. soldiers were in
northern Afghanistan to help coordinate U.S. air strikes and attacks by
opposition forces on the ruling Taliban, an opposition spokesman said
on Tuesday. It was the first time the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance
had confirmed the presence of armed and uniformed American troops in
the less than 10 percent of Afghanistan it controls. REUTERS/Vasily
Fedosenko

VF/ 

Russian soldiers sit on an APC during military training at a firing
field near the village of Lyaur, some 40 km from Dushanbe, October 23,
2001. Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said on Tuesday that Moscow favoured
a post-Taliban Afghan government composed of all ethnic groups and
acceptable for the international community. REUTERS/Alexander
Demianchuk

CVI/AA 

Russian soldiers fire a grenade launcher during military training at a
firing field near the village of Lyaur, some 40 km from Dushanbe,
October 23, 2001. Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said on Tuesday that
Moscow favoured a post-Taliban Afghan government composed of all ethnic
groups and acceptable for the international community.
REUTERS/Alexander Demianchuk

CVI/AA 

A Russian soldier runs into position during military training at a
firing field near the village of Lyaur, some 40 km from Dushanbe,
October 23, 2001. Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said on Tuesday that
Moscow favoured a post-Taliban Afghan government composed of all ethnic
groups and acceptable for the international community.
REUTERS/Alexander Demianchuk

CVI/AA 

Exiled Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani speaks to journalists after a meeting with [Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov in Dushanbe October 22, 2001. Putin] pledged more military assistance for Afghanistan's opposition Northern Alliance on Monday and said he saw no role for members of the ruling Taliban in a future Afghan government. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with exiled president of Afghanistan Burhanuddin Rabbani as Northern Alliance Military Commander Mohammed Fahim (C) looks on during a meeting in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, early October 22, 2001. Putin pledged more military assistance for the opposition Northern Alliance on Monday and said he saw no role for members of the ruling Taliban in a future Afghan government. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with exiled president
of Afghanistan Burhanuddin Rabbani as Northern Alliance Military
Commander Mohammed Fahim (C) looks on during a meeting in the Tajik
capital Dushanbe, early October 22, 2001. Putin pledged more military
assistance for the opposition Northern Alliance on Monday and said he
saw no role for members of the ruling Taliban in a future Afghan
government. REUTERS/Pool/Dmitry Khrupov

CVI 

Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov (R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (2R) meet with exiled president of Afghanistan Burhanuddin Rabbani (2L) and Northern Alliance Military Commander Mohammed Fahim (L) in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, early October 22, 2001. Putin pledged more military assistance for the opposition Northern Alliance on Monday and said he saw no role for members of the ruling Taliban in a future Afghan government. 

EXILED AFGHAN PRESIDENT BURHANUDDIN RABBANI SPEAKS AFTER MEETING WITH
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN IN DUSHANBE.


Exiled Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani speaks to journalists after
a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tajik President
Imomali Rakhmonov in Dushanbe October 22, 2001. Putin pledged more
military assistance for Afghanistan's opposition Northern Alliance on
Monday and said he saw no role for members of the ruling Taliban in a
future Afghan government. Giving a considerable morale boost to
Afghanistan's opposition forces, Putin held talks in the Tajik capital
early on Monday with Rabbani, recognised by the United 

TAJIK PRESIDENT IMOMALI RAKHMONOV MEETS WITH NORTHERN ALLIANCE MILITARY
COMMANDER MOHAMMED FAHIM IN DUSHANBE.


Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov (R) meets with Northern Alliance
Military Commander Mohammed Fahim (L) as Russian President Vladimir
Putin (2nd-R) and exiled Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani (2nd-L)
look on during a meeting in Dushanbe October 22, 2001. Putin pledged
more military assistance for Afghanistan's opposition Northern Alliance
on Monday and said he saw no role for members of the ruling Taliban in
a future Afghan government. Giving a considerable morale boost to
Afghanistan's opposition forces, Putin held talks in the Tajik capital
early on Monday with Rabbani, recognised by the United 

Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov (R) and Russian President Vladimir
Putin (2R) meet with exiled president of Afghanistan Burhanuddin
Rabbani (2L) and Northern Alliance Military Commander Mohammed Fahim
(L) in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, early October 22, 2001. Putin
pledged more military assistance for the opposition Northern Alliance
on Monday and said he saw no role for members of the ruling Taliban in
a future Afghan government. REUTERS/Pool/Dmitry Khrupov REUTERS

CVI 

EDITORIAL USE ONLY - NO COMMERCIAL OR BOOK SALES. Ahmed Masood pays his respects, next to a photograph of his father,
during a memorial ceremony on the 40th day of Ahmad Shah Masood's death
in Dushanbe October 21, 2001. Murdered by Arab men posing as
journalists on September 9, the 49-year-old ethnic Tajik was a key
player in defeating the Soviet invaders during the 1980s, and held off
the onslaught of the Taliban after it took the capital of Kabul in
1996. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

YB/GB 

EDITORIAL USE ONLY - NO COMMERCIAL OR BOOK SALES. Northern Alliance's Foreign Minister Dr Abdullah Abdullah (R) and Ahmed Massoud, son of late Afghan opposition forces leader [Ahmad Shah Massoud], take part in a memorial ceremony on the 40th day of his death in Dushanbe October 21, 2001. Murdered by Arab men posing as journalists on September 9, the 49-year-old ethnic Tajik was a key player in defeating the Soviet invaders during the 1980s, and held off the onslaught of the Taliban after it took the capital of Kabul in 1996. 

EDITORIAL USE ONLY - NO COMMERCIAL OR BOOK SALES. An Afghan boy stands by a poster of assassinated Afghan opposition forces leader Ahmad Shah Massoud during a memorial ceremony on the 40th day after Massoud's death in Dushanbe October 21, 2001. Murdered by men posing as journalists on September 9, the 49-year-old ethnic Tajik was a key player in defeating the Soviet invaders during the 1980s, and held off the onslaught of the Taliban after it took the capital of Kabul in 1996. 

EDITORIAL USE ONLY - NO COMMERCIAL OR BOOK SALES. Northern Alliance's Foreign Minister Dr Abdoulah Abdoulah (R) and Ahmed
Masood, son of late Afghan opposition forces leader Ahmad Shah Masood,
take part in a memorial ceremony on the 40th day of his death in
Dushanbe October 21, 2001. Murdered by Arab men posing as journalists
on September 9, the 49-year-old ethnic Tajik was a key player in
defeating the Soviet invaders during the 1980s, and held off the
onslaught of the Taliban after it took the capital of Kabul in 1996.
REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

YB/AA 

EDITORIAL USE ONLY - NO COMMERCIAL OR BOOK SALES. An Afghan boy stands by a poster of assassinated Afghan opposition
forces leader Ahmad Shah Masood during a memorial ceremony on the 40th
day after Masood's death in Dushanbe October 21, 2001. Murdered by men
posing as journalists on September 9, the 49-year-old ethnic Tajik was
a key player in defeating the Soviet invaders during the 1980s, and
held off the onslaught of the Taliban after it took the capital of
Kabul in 1996. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

YB/AA 

Burhanuddin Rabbani, ousted as Afghan president by the Taliban, attends
a news conference in Dushanbe October 11, 2001. Rabbani said on
Wednesday the future of Afghanistan could only be determined after the
"terrorists" had been destroyed and peace restored. REUTERS/Shamil
Zhumatov REUTERS

SZH/CVI 

Burhanuddin Rabbani, ousted as Afghan president by the Taliban, attends a news conference in Dushanbe October 11, 2001. Rabbani said on Wednesday the future of Afghanistan could only be determined after the "terrorists" had been destroyed and peace restored. 

Russian border guards patrol the Tajik-Afghan border 400 kms from
Dushanbe, October 1, 2001. The Taliban's defence minister urged the
movement's soldiers to fight hard against any attacks the United States
may launch in pursuit of fugitive Osama bin Laden. REUTERS/Str

AS/WS 

A Russian border guard observes the Afghan territory over the Pyandzh River, controlled by the Afghanistan's Taliban rulers as the guard patrols the Tajik-Afghan border 400 kms from Dushanbe, October 1, 2001. [The Taliban's defence minister urged the movement's soldiers to fight hard against any attacks the United States may launch in pursuit of fugitive Osama bin Laden. ] 

A Russian border guard observes the Afghan territory over the Pyandzh
River, controlled by the Afghanistan's Taliban rulers as the guard
patrols the Tajik-Afghan border 400 kms from Dushanbe, October 1, 2001.
The Taliban's defence minister urged the movement's soldiers to fight
hard against any attacks the United States may launch in pursuit of
fugitive Osama bin Laden. REUTERS/Str

AS/WS 

Russian border guards observe the Afghan territory over the Pyandzh
River, controlled by the Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, as they patrol
the Tajik-Afghan border 400 kms from Dushanbe, October 1, 2001. The
Taliban's defence minister urged the movement's soldiers to fight hard
against any attacks the United States may launch in pursuit of fugitive
Osama bin Laden. REUTERS/Str

AS 

Russian soldiers train in the detention of an illegal immigrant at the
Tajik-Afghan border, September 27, 2001. The United Nations on
Wednesday appealed for urgent funds to help some 7,5 million Afghan
refugees survive the harsh winter, but Afghanistan's reclusive Taliban
leader told his people to go back home. REUTERS/Str RS

AS/CLH/ 

Russian soldiers train in the detention of an illegal immigrant at the Tajik-Afghan border, September 27, 2001. [The United Nations on Wednesday appealed for urgent funds to help some 7,5 million Afghan refugees survive the harsh winter, but Afghanistan's reclusive Taliban leader told his people to go back home. ] 

Russian soldiers rests by his machine gun at the Tajik-Afghan border,
September 27, 2001. The United Nations on Wednesday appealed for urgent
funds to help some 7.5 million Afghan refugees survive the harsh
winter, but Afghanistan's reclusive Taliban leader told his people to
go back home. REUTERS/Str

AS/CLH/ 

A Russian soldier stands by the barbed wire fence at the Tajik-Afghan
border, September 27, 2001. The United Nations on Wednesday appealed
for urgent funds to help some 7.5 million Afghan refugees survive the
harsh winter, but Afghanistan's reclusive Taliban leader told his
people to go back home. REUTERS/Str

AS/CLH/ 

Russian soldiers clean a tank's gun at a position near the Tajik-Afghan border, some 300 kms from the capital Dushanbe, September 25, 2001. [Tens of thousands of Afghans are on the move in their landlocked and rugged land to try to escape threatened U.S. strikes against Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden and his Taliban protectors]. 

A Russian soldier walks with an assault rifle at a position near the
Tajik-Afghan border, some 300 kms from the capital Dushanbe, September
25, 2001. Tens of thousands of Afghans are on the move in their
landlocked and rugged land to try to escape threatened U.S. strikes
against Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden and his Taliban
protectors. REUTERS/Str REUTERS

AS 

Russian soldiers clean a tank's gun at a position near the Tajik-Afghan
border, some 300 kms from the capital Dushanbe, September 25, 2001.
Tens of thousands of Afghans are on the move in their landlocked and
rugged land to try to escape threatened U.S. strikes against Saudi-born
dissident Osama bin Laden and his Taliban protectors. REUTERS/str

AS 

Russian soldiers drink water at a position near the Tajik-Afghan
border, some 300 kms from the capital Dushanbe, September 25, 2001.
Tens of thousands of Afghans are on the move in their landlocked and
rugged land to try to escape threatened U.S. strikes against Saudi-born
dissident Osama bin Laden and his Taliban protectors. REUTERS/str

AS 

Russian soldier passes by a tank at a position near the Tajik-Afghan
border, some 300 kms from the capital Dushanbe, September 25, 2001.
Tens of thousands of Afghans are on the move in their landlocked and
rugged land to try to escape threatened U.S. strikes against Saudi-born
dissident Osama bin Laden and his Taliban protectors. REUTERS/str

AS 

Russian frontier guards patrol along Tajik-Afghan border, some 300 kms from the capital Dushanbe, September 24, 2001. Russia said on Monday it would arm Afghanistan's [anti-Taliban opposition and open an air route for humanitarian aid if the United States attacked the country it accuses of sheltering Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden. ] 

Russian frontier guards watch smoke in Afghanistan at the Tajik-Afghan border, some 300 kms of capital Dushanbe, September 24, 2001. Russia said on Monday it would arm Afghanistan's [anti-Taliban opposition and open an air route for humanitarian aid if the United States attacked the country it accuses of sheltering Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden. ] 

Russian soldiers sit on a tank at a position near the Tajik-Afghan
border, some 300 kms from the capital Dushanbe. Russia said on Monday
it would arm Afghanistan's anti-Taliban opposition and open an air
route for humanitarian aid if the United States attacked the country it
accuses of sheltering Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden. Picture
taken September 24, 2001. REUTERS/Str

CVI 

Russian frontier guards patrol along the Tajik-Afghan border, some 300
kms from the capital Dushanbe, September 24, 2001. Russia said on
Monday it would arm Afghanistan's anti-Taliban opposition and open an
air route for humanitarian aid if the United States attacked the
country it accuses of sheltering Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden.
REUTERS/Str

CVI/CRB 

Russian frontier guards patrol along Tajik-Afghan border, some 300 kms
from the capital Dushanbe, September 24, 2001. Russia said on Monday it
would arm Afghanistan's anti-Taliban opposition and open an air route
for humanitarian aid if the United States attacked the country it
accuses of sheltering Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden. REUTERS/Str

CVI 

A Russian frontier guard gives his colleague a haircut at a position
near the Tajik-Afghan border, some 300 kms rom the capital Dushanbe,
September 24, 2001. Russia said on Monday it would arm Afghanistan's
anti-Taliban opposition and open an air route for humanitarian aid if
the United States attacked the country it accuses of sheltering
Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden. REUTERS/Str

CVI/CRB 

Russian frontier guards watch smoke in Afghanistan at the Tajik-Afghan
border, some 300 kms of capital Dushanbe, September 24, 2001. Russia
said on Monday it would arm Afghanistan's anti-Taliban opposition and
open an air route for humanitarian aid if the United States attacked
the country it accuses of sheltering Saudi-born militant Osama bin
Laden. REUTERS/Str

CVI/CRB 

A man hands up a portrait of legendary leader Ahmad Shah Masood at the
entrance to the Afghan embassy in Dushanbe September 21, 2001. Masood,
military leader of the Northern Alliance, the main opposition to
Afghanistan's ruling Islamic Taliban movement was buried last week near
his home village of Jangalak in the heart of the Panjsher Valley.
REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

AS/GB 

A man hands up a portrait of legendary leader Ahmad Shah Massoud at the entrance to the Afghan embassy in Dushanbe September 21, 2001. Massoud, military leader of the Northern Alliance, the main opposition to Afghanistan's ruling Islamic Taliban movement was buried last week near his home village of Jangalak in the heart of the Panjsher Valley. 

Russian border guards observe Afghan territory controlled by Taliban at
Tajik-Afghan border near the Tajik town of Pyandzh, September 18, 2001.
Tajikistan is prepared to help the United States to combat
international terrorism if it receives an official request, Foreign
Minister Talbak Nazarov said on Tuesday, although he did not say how.
REUTERS/Str REUTERS

SZH/CVI 

Russian border guards run to take their position at Tajik-Afghan border
near the Tajik town of Pyandzh, September 18, 2001. The opposite side
of the border is controlled by the Taliban. Tajikistan is prepared to
help the United States to combat international terrorism if it receives
an official request, Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov said on Tuesday,
although he did not say how. REUTERS/Str POOL REUTERS

SZH/CVI/FMS 

Tajik and Afghan people pray as they commemorate Afghanistan's
opposition leader Ahmad Shah Masood, the Lion of Panjsher, in a
Dushanbe mosque September 18, 2001. Masood, military leader of the
Northern Alliance, the main opposition to Afghanistan's ruling Islamic
Taliban movement, was buried near his home village of Jangalak in the
heart of the Panjsher Valley, Masood's military stronghold.
REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

SZH/ 

Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, speaks at a news conference in Islamabad April 6, 2001. P[akistan and Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement on Friday rejected a renewed Afghan opposition allegation that Islamabad was giving military aid to the Kabul government. "This is a baseless claim," Zaeef told a news conference. He in turn accused the northern-based opposition alliance of receiving military aid from Russia, France, Iran, Tajikistan and India. ] 

Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, speaks at a news conference in Islamabad April 6, 2001. Pakistan and Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement on Friday rejected a renewed Afghan opposition allegation that Islamabad was giving military aid to the Kabul government. "This is a baseless claim," Zaeef told a news conference. He in turn accused the northern-based opposition alliance of receiving military aid from Russia, France, Iran, Tajikistan and India.

CC 

Ahmad Shah Masood, the veteran commander leading the armed struggle against Afghanistan's ruling Taliban, sits at a press conference in Paris, April 4, 2001. Masood was injured in an explosion September 9, 2001, a source in the Afghan embassy in neighbouring Tajikistan said. He said Massod was hurt when an explosion hit his car near the village of Khodzha-Bakhauddin, in the north of Afghanistan. REUTERS/Xavier L'Hospice

MAL/CLH/ 

A Tajik specialist examines a statue of Buddha in a Dushanbe museum on April 3, 2001. The statue, Buddha in Nirvana, is the largest in the world of the reclining Buddha at 14 metres long, Viktor Dubovitsky deputy head of the Tajik institute of history, archaelogy and ethnography, told Reuters. The largest statues of Buddha in the world were destroyed by Afghanistan's radical Islamic Taliban militia last month.

SA/CVI 

A Tajik specialist examines a statue of Buddha in a Dushanbe museum on April 3, 2001. The statue, Buddha in Nirvana, is the largest in the world of the reclining Buddha at 14 metres long, [Viktor Dubovitsky deputy head of the Tajik institute of history, archaelogy and ethnography, told Reuters.] The largest statues of Buddha in the world were destroyed by Afghanistan's radical Islamic Taliban militia last month.