Reports conflicting stories about the death or injury of Ahmed Shah Massoud, leader of the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan, and whether the suicide bombers were connected with the Taliban or with Osama bin Laden. Includes video clip.

Vladimir Davlatov in Dushanbe reports on the severe blow Afghanistan's anti-Taleban forces suffered on the death of their leader. He describes Ahmed Shah Massoud's career, including the peace initiatives he led this year in Europe, backed by all EU leaders.

Junger remembers the leader of the Northern Alliance from the month he spent with him in 2000, and connects his assassination with bin Laden's 9-11 attack on America.

A source in the Afghan embassy in neighbouring Tajikistan reported that Ahmad Shah Massoud, the leader of the anti-Taliban resistance in Afghanistan, was injured when a bomb concealed in the video camera of an Arab journalist went off. From Ahmed Rashid in Lahore.

Spokesmen for General Massoud's United Front denied that he had died and accused the Taliban, the wanted Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden and Pakistan of planning the assassination attempt. The Taliban had launched a major offensive the previous week outside Kabul and in Takhar province. From Ahmed Rashid in Lahore.