Afghanistan: October 9, 2003

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Uzbek and Tajik warlords in the north agreed to a ceasefire after two days of fighting and nearly a hundred casualties. The fighting around Mazar-i-Sharif  (which occasionally includes a Hazara warlord) is over control of economic resources (collecting taxes and running extortion rackets) in the area. The national government is sending more police and troops into the area and has warned the warlords that they will soon have to obey orders from the national government. The warlords say they will, but most people believe they won't.