„Wir Kämpfen Bis Zum Tod“ Bin Ladens Araber-Truppe Lieferte Den Amerikanern Und Den Mudschahidin Um Die Bergfeste Tora Bora Einen Zähen Abwehrkampf

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„Wir Kämpfen Bis Zum Tod“ Bin Ladens Araber-Truppe Lieferte Den Amerikanern Und Den Mudschahidin Um Die Bergfeste Tora Bora Einen Zähen Abwehrkampf THOMAS GRABKA THOMAS THOMAS GRABKA THOMAS Mudschahidin auf dem Weg zur Front Freigelassene Pakistaner Kriegsschauplatz Tora Bora: Über Walkie-Talkies haben beide Seiten die Fronten geklärt AFGHANISTAN „Wir kämpfen bis zum Tod“ Bin Ladens Araber-Truppe lieferte den Amerikanern und den Mudschahidin um die Bergfeste Tora Bora einen zähen Abwehrkampf. In den Dörfern der Umgebung haben die Taliban noch viele Anhänger. adir Khan ist kein Anhänger Bin todwundes Tier. Doch schlimmer noch für von den Soldaten unten verächtlich nur Ladens, Gott bewahre. Aber die Nadir Khan: Auf den Hängen von Tora „die Araber“ genannt, weigern sich, die NArt und Weise, wie die Amerikaner Bora brennen jetzt die Fichten, seine Fich- führenden al-Qaida-Leute auszuliefern. dem Chef-Terroristen beikommen wollen, ten – entzündet durch die Feuerwalze der „Wir sind alle Muslime, lasst uns zusam- hier in den Bergen bei Tora Bora, die Amerikaner. menhalten“, funken sie herunter. macht ihn ungeheuer fuchtig. Wo im ausgedörrten und ausgeraubten Im Gegenzug haben die Mudschahidin- Bauer Khan ist 50, die Arbeit auf den Afghanistan gibt es noch Wälder, solche Kommandeure alle Kapitulationsvorschlä- steinigen Bergfeldern hat ihn vorzeitig zum wie hier oben auf den Weißen Bergen? Na- ge der Araber abgelehnt. Man wird sie alten Mann gemacht. Er steht vor seinem dir Khan hat gut mit ihnen verdient. Er hat nicht, wie gewünscht, an Uno-Gesandte Lehmhaus in Bamu Chel, in dem er mit sei- die Bäume geschlagen und als Brennholz übergeben; auch nicht an Vertreter jener nen Brüdern und einer 30-köpfigen Fami- ins 50 Kilometer entfernte Jalalabad ge- Länder, aus denen die Qaida-Kämpfer lie lebt, und zählt die anfliegenden Bom- bracht. Sie waren seine letzte Einkom- stammen. Das heißt: Es gibt keine Garan- ber: Es ist der zehnte, der seit einer Stun- mensquelle, seit die Taliban voriges Jahr tie, dass es in Tora Bora nicht zu einem de über das Dörfchen hinwegdonnert. den Mohnanbau verboten hatten. Deswe- ähnlichen Blutbad kommt wie vor drei Und immer dasselbe Bild: zuerst der gen hasst er jetzt die Amerikaner. Wochen unter den Hunderten gefangener riesige rote Feuerball, der blitzschnell in Nach dem Fall der Taliban-Hochburg Taliban bei Masar-i-Scharif. dickem, pechschwarzem Rauch verschwin- Kandahar ist Tora Bora der letzte Schau- Die Amerikaner seien es gewesen, die det; die aufsteigende Staubwolke, die eine einen solchen Deal verhindert hätten, lässt Ewigkeit lang über der Einschlagstelle Die Schlacht gegen Jalalabads Gouverneur Haji Abdul Qadir schwebt; und dann die Detonation, deren unten in der Stadt verlauten. „Die wollten Echo donnernd hinunterrollt ins Tal. die Terroristen in den Bergen von Anfang an die Leute nicht lebend“, Manchmal brechen die dichten Wolken glauben dagegen Bauer Nadir Khan und auf, und ein einsamer Sonnenstrahl be- wird live in jedes seine Dorfnachbarn. leuchtet die gespenstische Szenerie wie ein Die harsche Ablehnung der Kapitula- himmlischer Fingerzeig. Wohnzimmer übertragen. tionsofferte war für al-Qaida Grund genug, Die Amerikaner scheinen vor Jalalabad Donnerstag früh auch noch das letzte Ul- ihre Waffenlager auszukehren. Khan hat platz in diesem Afghanistan-Krieg. Hier, timatum der Gegenseite verstreichen zu einen Geschoss-Splitter gefunden, made in in den Bergen vor der pakistanischen lassen. „Wir werden kämpfen bis zum USA, Baujahr 1980. Aber ob die Bomben Grenze, haben sich die Aktivisten des Ter- Tod“, lautet seitdem die Botschaft vom irgendeinen al-Qaida-Kämpfer zerfetzen, rornetzwerks al-Qaida verschanzt – Ägyp- Berg. Alles klar zum Showdown. ob sie einen der Tunnel in der Bergfestung ter, Pakistaner, Jemeniten, Saudi-Araber, Die Schlacht gegen die islamistischen Tora Bora treffen oder ein Munitionsdepot Sudanesen, Tschetschenen. Vielleicht 400 Terroristen in den ostafghanischen Spin- der Bin-Laden-Leute – Nadir Khan ist das Mann oder gar 1000. Niemand weiß das so ghar-Bergen wird live in jedes westliche völlig egal. genau, auch keiner von den Komman- Wohnzimmer übertragen – live wie der Aber der Berg kümmert ihn schon, die- deuren der Anti-Taliban-Front, die alle Anflug der Terroristen-Boeing auf die Twin ser viel geschundene Berg. Nach den tage- paar Stunden versuchen, per Funk ihre Towers von New York. langen Bombardements durchziehen me- Gegner zur Aufgabe zu bewegen. Auf einer kahlen Anhöhe hat die ge- terbreite Risse seinen Boden, und bei je- Über Walkie-Talkies haben beide Seiten ballte Medienmacht der demokratischen dem Abwurf zittert er inzwischen wie ein die Fronten geklärt. Die Männer im Berg, Welt Stellung bezogen: Mit einem hal- 150 der spiegel 51/2001 BUU ALAIN (L.); (R.) GRABKA THOMAS THOMAS GRABKA THOMAS Bauer Khan Munitionslager im Tunnel von Tora Bora Gouverneur Qadir ben Dutzend Satellitenschüsseln, mobiler am afghanischen Schachbrett. Daneben ist als sie die afghanischen Mudschahidin im Stromversorgung und leichten Bergzelten, das Versprechen abgedruckt, wer den Qai- Kampf gegen die Sowjets unterstützten. als ginge es ins Basislager einer Himalaja- da-Chef zur Strecke bringe, bekäme 25 Mil- Die Russen hatten die Bergfeste 1985 in Expedition. Die Kameraobjektive sind wie lionen Dollar gezahlt. Auch ein Blatt mit ei- einer Acht-Tage-Attacke zu stürmen ver- die Rohre der Mudschahidin-Panzer auf ner groben Araber-Karikatur fiel vom Him- sucht. Vergebens. Tora Bora gerichtet. mel herab. „Wollt ihr diese Fremden bei Auch diesmal haben die Angreifer ei- Bisweilen werden die martialischen Bil- euch?“, lautet die suggestive Frage. nen schweren Stand. Daran sind nicht zu- der vom Feuersturm mit Kommentaren ge- Die Fremden sind zumindest zähe letzt die Ränkespiele unter den afgha- würzt, deren schlichte Weltsicht erstaunt: Kämpfer. Das erkennen die Belagerer von nischen Kommandeuren schuld. Deren „Die da oben sitzen, das sind alles Rat- Tora Bora an. Mehr als 30 ihrer eigenen Streitmacht besteht aus drei höchst un- ten“, erklärt der Fernsehmann der ameri- Soldaten sind in den letzten Tagen gefallen. gleichen Teilen. Für jede der Einheiten ist kanischen Fox News seinen Landsleuten. Auf der anderen Seite haben die Mudscha- Tora Bora ein Prestigeobjekt: Hier wird „Die sind es nicht wert, dass auch nur ei- hidin trotz pausenloser Bombenangriffe nicht allein um einen militärischen Sieg ge- ner unserer fabelhaften Jungs zu Schaden und Bodenattacken nur vier Gefallene aus- fochten, sondern zugleich um Geld, Beu- kommt. Wir müssen sie in Grund und Bo- gemacht: „Die müssen mehr Tote haben, tewaffen und politischen Einfluss. den bomben – wie Ratten eben.“ aber sie haben sie wohl umgehend im Berg Im Osten stehen die Männer von Haji Dass Chef-Terrorist Osama Bin Laden begraben“, sagt ein junger Kommandeur. Abdul Zahir. Er ist der Sohn des Jalalaba- noch in den Höhlen von Tora Bora hockt, Es ist ein zäher Stellungskampf. Schon der Gouverneurs – eines Mannes, der für glauben indes selbst viele Amerikaner einmal haben die Araber einen Teil der den Geschmack der örtlichen Paschtunen- nicht mehr; vor Tagen sei er bereits in das Wohnwaben im unteren Höhlensystem Führer viel zu eng mit der Kabuler Nord- benachbarte Pakistan aufgebrochen, be- aufgeben müssen, doch zu Wochenbeginn allianz verbandelt ist und am 22. Dezember hauptet der „Christian Science Monitor“. eroberten sie die Tunnel zurück. Die 70 als Minister der afghanischen Interims- Vergebens also die zahlreichen Flugblätter Amerikaner von den Special Forces, die – regierung in die Hauptstadt ziehen soll. in Dari und Paschtu, die amerikanische im Afghanen-Look und mit Kurzhaar- In der Mitte agiert Jalalabads Polizei- Flugzeuge in der Umgebung von Jalalabad schnitt – drüben mit in Stellung liegen, kön- chef Hazrat Ali, ebenfalls ein Mann der und auch in den Dörfern vor Tora Bora nen nicht viel ausrichten. Sie leiten nur das Nordallianz. Er bietet die meisten Bewaff- abgeworfen hatten? Feuer ihrer Bomber. Die Drecksarbeit, ei- neten auf. Manchmal wirbelt der Wind ein paar nen Berg von unten zu stürmen, der von Im Westen stehen die Einheiten von Haji übrig gebliebene Handzettel am Rand der einer Hand voll Schützen gehalten wird, Zaman, eines berüchtigten Mudschahidin- Bergstraße auf: Kriegspropaganda auch für mussten fast die ganze Woche ihre Ver- Kommandeurs. Der hat die Taliban-Zeit leseunkundige Afghanen. Die Flugblätter bündeten leisten. im französischen Exil ausgesessen, das ver- zeigen Bin Laden mal mit Taliban-Führer Dabei dürften die Amerikaner die An- zeihen ihm seine Rivalen nicht. Mullah Omar als gehorsamen Hund an der lage von Tora Bora mit ihren Tunneln gut Wer es mit wem hält, ist an den Wind- Leine, mal als größenwahnsinnigen Spieler kennen. Sie haben sie selbst mitfinanziert, schutzscheiben der Toyota-Geländewagen Kabul Zuflucht der Jalalabad US-Kampf- Gotteskrieger bomber „B-1B“ AFGHANISTAN Bamu Chel Peschawar Tora-Bora-Gebiet 4587m Safed-Koh-Berge Paraschinar PAKISTAN 50 km abzulesen, die pausenlos die kurvenreiche Eingeschlossenen Lebensmittel verkauft ha- Sturmangriff der Fußtruppen beginnt. Steinpiste zur Front hochjagen. Die Män- ben. Im Übrigen hätten „die Ausländer“ Für die Schlacht um Tora Bora hat unten in ner Hazrat Alis haben Porträts des ermor- noch vor dem Bombardement säckeweise Jalalabad, aber auch in der Hauptstadt Ka- deten Nordallianz-Führers Ahmed Schah Vorräte nach Tora Bora geschafft, sagt der bul keiner so recht einen Sinn. Id al-Fitr Massud an ihre Wagen gepappt, Zamans Bauer. Die schwer beladenen Pick-ups fuh- stand am Wochenende ins Haus, das große Leute dagegen die schwarz-rot-grüne ren an seinem Haus vorbei. Fest am Ende des Ramadan – ein Ereignis, Flagge
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