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DATE=8/8/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-236752
TITLE=AFGHAN FIGHTING / L
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  IN AFGHANISTAN, THE TALEBAN HAVE CAPTURED THE NORTHERN 
CAPITAL, MAZAR-I-SHARIF, AFTER AN ASSAULT ON THE CITY.  V-O-A 
CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD.
TEXT:  THE AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS QUOTES A TALEBAN SPOKESMAN AS 
SAYING THE CITY FELL WITHOUT MUCH RESISTANCE, AFTER AN ATTACK 
SATURDAY MORNING.  INDEPENDENT SOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN ALSO 
CONFIRMED TO V-O-A THAT THE NORTHERN CAPITAL WAS CAPTURED.
THE TALEBAN SAY AT LEAST FIVE THOUSAND TALEBAN FIGHTERS -- USING 
HEAVY ARTILLERY -- ATTACKED FROM THE NORTH AND WEST AND AIR RAIDS
WERE ALSO LAUNCHED FROM NEARBY SHIBERGAN.
MAZAR-I-SHARIF WAS THE LAST MAJOR CITY IN AFGHANISTAN NOT 
CONTROLLED BY THE TALEBAN.  THE ATTACK COMES AFTER THE TALEBAN 
RECENTLY RULED OUT ANY TALKS WITH THE OPPOSITION ALLIANCE. 
THE TALEBAN OFFENSIVE STARTED TWO WEEKS AGO, WITH THE CAPTURE OF 
FARYAB PROVINCE IN NORTHWESTERN AFGHANISTAN.  TALEBAN FORCES 
CONSOLIDATED THEIR GAINS AND ONE WEEK LATER TOOK SHIBERGAN -- THE
MILITARY STRONGHOLD OF NORTHERN ALLIANCE GENERAL ABDUL RASHID 
DOSTUM. 
OPPOSITION ATTEMPTS TO COUNTERATTACK AND REINFORCE THEIR TROOPS 
WERE LARGELY UNSUCCESSFUL.  THERE WERE ALSO REPORTS OF SEVERAL 
LOCAL COMMANDERS CHANGING SIDES AND JOINING THE TALEBAN.  SUCH 
SHIFTING LOYALTIES ARE A FEATURE OF THE AFGHAN CONFLICT. 
THE TALEBAN TRIED TO TAKE MAZAR-I-SHARIF TWICE BEFORE:  ONCE IN 
MAY OF 1997, WHEN THEY SUFFERED MASSIVE CASUALTIES IN AN AMBUSH 
AND AGAIN LAST SEPTEMBER.  ANALYSTS SAY THE TALEBAN THIS TIME 
CONDUCTED THEIR OFFENSIVE IN MORE SYSTEMATIC AND CAUTIOUS MANNER.
THE OPPOSITION STILL HAS STRONGHOLDS IN SECTIONS OF NORTHEAST AND
CENTRAL AFGHANISTAN.  THE TALEBAN CONTROL THE REST OF THE 
COUNTRY.
THE TALEBAN ENFORCE A STRICT VERSION OF ISLAMIC LAW THAT BANS 
WOMEN FROM WORK AND FORCES MEN TO WEAR BEARDS.  (SIGNED)
NEB / WD / WD
08-Aug-98 6:42 AM EDT (1042 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.