Afghanistan timeline November 2000

Mid-November 2000

Commander Mahmoud Surkha of the Northern Alliance defects to the Taliban claiming dissatisfaction with Russian interference in the resistance movement. The Northern Alliance denies the allegation but says that it has the right to seek international assistance as the recognized government of Afghanistan.

Late November 2000

Kazakhstan becomes the latest Central Asian country to relax its attitude to the Taliban regime when it announces it will establish regular contact with the Islamic administration. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have already expressed a willingness to talk to the regime.