Afghan interim leader Mr Hamid Karzai said today US-led forces were near victory in the biggest battle of the Afghan war, adding that when it was won the last main base of al Qaeda in the country would have been wiped out.
Mr Karzai said the US-led forces were in sight of victory in the week-long fighting around Gardez.
"Since the day before yesterday that resistance has diminished tremendously and some areas have been taken and I believe that situation has been resolved," he told a news conference.
"That was the last main base. And the last main base is on its way out."
"But this does not mean that there would not be groups of little people here and there that will try to cause trouble. We will fight terrorism until we are absolutely sure that they are not there to threaten anybody anywhere in the world," Mr Karzai added.