AROUND 70 CHECHENS GUARD BIN LADEN
http://newsfromrussia.com/hotspots/2001/09/27/16355.htmlAround 70 Chechens are among fanatical suicide bodyguards of Osama Bin Laden, terrorist #1, RIA Novosti correspondent learned Thursday from Afghan sources. Bin Ladin's personal guard includes from 500 to 700 people, they are only Arabs and Chechens. All fanatics wear special white clothes.
Bin Ladin has well-equipped and capable to withstand airstrikes underground bunkers in some of Afghanistan regions. They contain water, food stuff, and ammunition stocks.
At the same time, the Taliban are continuing the mobilization and have already enlisted over 300,000 men. According to Kabul regime spokesmen, the Talib grouping near Kabul is from 12 to 15 thousand men strong.
Pakistani military experts think that the so-called "foreign legion" has the highest combat capacity. It includes experienced mercenaries from the Arab countries, as well as Uzbeks, Tajiks, Uigurs, and Chechens.
The Taliban air force is made up of about 20 obsolete and shabby Soviet aircraft and the same number of Mi-8 helicopters. They also have Scud missiles with a destruction range of 450 km, and Luna-M capable to destroy targets 120 km away from them.
According to various appraisals, Talibs might still have up to 100 Stingers which were once supplied by Americans to fight against Soviet aircraft.
The Taliban armour troops number from 500 to 700 obsolete T-54 and T-55 tanks. They have approximately the same number of armoured personnel carriers, but terrain conditions force for the army of Kabul to transport their units by jeeps and all-terrain vehicles. The total strength of the anti-Taliban coalition amounts to around 60,000 men. They are also equipped with tanks, helicopters, and artillery.
