New fighting erupted Friday between Taliban and Northern Alliance forces around the village of Maidan Shar 20 kilometers (12 miles) southwest of Kabul, an AFP correspondent said.
The two sides exchanged artillery fire but the fighting was less intense than Thursday's battle around the village, where about 100 soldiers of the Northern Alliance are positioned.
The clash lasted about two hours and was halted about an hour before Friday prayers. A few groups of civilians clutching their belongings were seen fleeing towards Kabul.
Northern Alliance soldiers said they were expecting reinforcements, notably in the central province of Bamiyan where they were negotiating the surrender of a pocket of Taliban - MAIDAN SHAR, Afghanistan (AFP)
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