Taliban Claims to Have Taken Key Site

The Muslim fundamentalist Taliban army claimed to have captured a strategic mountain village, pushing opposition forces from the outskirts of Kabul, the capital. If true, the three-mile retreat by the opposition would represent a significant reversal in the latest fighting between the beleaguered Taliban and its enemies. The Taliban army has seized Kabul and two-thirds of Afghanistan in its bid to impose a strict Islamic regime over the entire country. Two weeks ago, anti-Taliban forces stormed through 30 miles of Taliban-held territory, coming within rocket range of Kabul. But the opposition offensive stalled about 12 miles north of the capital.