The Northern Alliance's decision to launch an all-out attack to capture the besieged northern town of Kunduz has led to fears of a massacre of thousands of foreign troops fighting for the Taliban.

The spectre of an all out attack by the Northern Alliance on the city came after alliance leaders first announced a surrender deal had been reached and then said the talks had failed.

The US Administration has made clear its strong belief that the Taliban fighters should not be given safe passage to the south of Afghanistan.

Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, said: "Any idea that those people should be let loose on any basis to go to bring terror to other countries and destabilise other countries is unacceptable."