"If the terrorists do not leave Kandahar, we'll go there to liberate it," he said.

But today, Mr. Agha said that Mullah Omar "is not going to leave Kandahar, and this is not something of his choice."

Roberts left Kandahar on 9 September and marched to Quetta with part of his division.

About 70 percent of the population had left Kandahar, the refugees said.

In December, 2001, as Taliban control over Afghanistan collapsed, Omar left Kandahar and reportedly crossed into Pakistan; there has been no confirmed sighting of him since.

Mr. Barak said that when he left Kandahar a few days ago, stores had sold virtually every radio set to nervous residents.

Two women who left Kandahar by taxicab were turned back at the Chaman crossing point, Mr. Colville of the United Nations said.

Northern Alliance commanders say they have finally taken encircled Kunduz, leaving Kandahar as the Taliban's last redoubt.

Once leaving Kandahar they travel through a farm and manage to capture a bull fight on film before stopping off at a stream coming closer to the Pakistan border.

They were both allowed to leave Kandahar as part of the settlement and are now at large, the person said.