Taliban city's last stand

US BOMBERS yesterday launched a fresh blitz on Kandahar, the Taliban's last stronghold in Afghanistan.

Fighter planes battered targets inside the city around the clock.

At the same time, 6,000 refugees left Kandahar amid reports that law and order had broken down.

Thousands of US Marines massed at key entry points and helicopter units reinforced their nearby desert base, codenamed Camp Rhino. But a Taliban official inside the city vowed his troops would never surrender.

Last night tribal Afghan fighters were reported to have captured part of Kandahar airport, though the Taliban and al-Quaeda continued to resist.

Meanwhile, up to 50 people died - some of them children - when a village was bombed by mistake.

US planes hit tiny Kama Ado, 30 miles south of Jalalabad, four times. A witness said 25 bombs were dropped, destroying all 30 homes. Provincial defence chief Mohammed Zeman said: "We told the US authorities: 'Stop your bombing - it's not on the mark'."

The village is in the foothills of the White Mountains where Taliban are reportedly hiding out.

MORE than 80 Taliban fighters - many injured and starving - emerged yesterday from the ruined fort in Kunduz where hundreds died in a three-day revolt last week.

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