91.   Contacted by satellite telephone on Friday in Mazar-e-Sharif, an opposition spokesman, Fazle Sangchariki, said they were ready for a cease-fire.

92.   Earlier Monday, Hussain Anwari, an opposition spokesman in northern Takhar province, said heavy fighting was continuing in several other provinces.

93.   Eric Pickles, the opposition Conservative transport spokesman, said the plan would create more problems than it solves.

94.   Federal opposition foreign affairs spokesman Laurie Brereton confirmed Sunday that former foreign affairs minister Gareth Evans has been classified as being at risk following death threats.

95.   Fighting was intense in northern Afghanistan on Saturday as Taliban soldiers assailed opposition forces in Sar-e-Pul province, said an opposition spokesman.

96.   He and another opposition spokesman, Hussain Sohil, said Taliban attacks had been repulsed at Koh-e-Safi, Nijrab and northern Takhar province.

97.   He also sent a delegation to negotiate with Pahlawan, opposition spokesman Abdullah Whad said.

98.   He was addressing a group of businessmen when militants stormed the building, Jongwe, the opposition spokesman said.

99.   However, opposition spokesman Nadeem Ashraf acknowledged Monday that the northern alliance had gained no ground and its forces were stumbling on two of the three fronts.

100.   Hussain Anwar, an opposition spokesman, said the Taliban retreated from Laghman after suffering heavy casualties.