Iraq condemns massacre of Taliban prisoners

Iraq today condemned what it called the "massacre" by US forces and the Northern Alliance of several hundred Taliban prisoners…

Iraq today condemned what it called the "massacre" by US forces and the Northern Alliance of several hundred Taliban prisoners in the Mazar-iSharif region of Afghanistan.

"The Iraqi government condemns the massacre of the Taliban prisoners and regards it as a gratuitous crime," the cabinet said in a statement after a meeting chaired by President Saddam Hussein.

"Iraq calls on the international community to condemn this crime so as to end the voracity of the United States for massacres and killing of Muslim people, including Afghans," it said, quoted by the official INA news agency.

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said today there was "still some fighting going on" at the Qala-e-Jangi prison near Mazar-i-Sharif where foreign Taliban fighters had revolted.

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"It's hard to estimate numbers but this morning I was told it was down to a few handsful of people ... who are resisting," Mr Rumsfeld told reporters.

Earlier today, Pentagon spokeswoman Ms Victoria Clarke said Northern Alliance fighters were working with the support of US special forces and air support to control the situation.

AFP