DATE=9/7/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238249
TITLE=AFGHAN FIGHTING (L)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: FIERCE FIGHTING IS TAKING PLACE NORTH OF THE AFGHAN
CAPITAL, KABUL. SARAH HORNER REPORTS THE OPPOSITION NORTHERN
ALLIANCE SAYS IT HAS CAPTURED STRATEGIC HIGH GROUND, BUT THE
TALEBAN SAY THEY STILL CONTROL THE AREA.
TEXT: INTENSE BATTLES BEGAN SUNDAY NIGHT 40 KILOMETRES NORTH OF
KABUL AND SPREAD MONDAY TO OTHER FRONT-LINES CLOSER TO THE
CAPITAL. INDEPENDENT SOURCES IN THE CITY SAY THEY CAN HEAR THE
SOUNDS OF ARTILLERY AND SMALL ARMS FIRE.
THE TALEBAN CONTROL 90 PER CENT OF AFGHANISTAN, INCLUDING KABUL,
AND ARE TRYING TO STOP A PUSH FROM THE OPPOSITION NORTHERN
ALLIANCE -- WHICH CONTROLS TERRITORY NORTH OF THE CAPITAL.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE ALLIANCE, DR ABDULLAH, TELLS V-O-A THE
ALLIANCE HAS CAPTURED THE STRATEGIC ZEEMA HEIGHTS AND SHAKAR DARA
HEIGHTS, 20 KILOMETRES NORTH OF KABUL, CLOSE TO THE VILLAGE OF
HOSSAIN KOT. DR ABUDLLAH IS THE SPOKESMAN FOR COMMANDER AHMAD
SHAH MASSOOD, WHO IS LEADING THE LATEST OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE
TALEBAN.
REUTERS NEWS AGENCY REPORTS TALEBAN SOLDIERS AS SAYING THEY HAVE
LOST SOME OF THE HIGH GROUND, BUT THE AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS
(A-I-P) QUOTES A TALEBAN SPOKESMAN WHO SAYS THEY HAVE NOT
LOST ANY HIGH GROUND.
THE SPOKESMAN SAYS TALEBAN TROOPS LOST A FEW POSITIONS IN THE
NORTHERN ALLIANCE OFFENSIVE, BUT THEN REGAINED THEM.
A-I-P ALSO REPORTS FIGHTING IN WARDAK PROVINCE, NORTH-WEST OF
KABUL, BETWEEN THE TALEBAN AND HEZB-I-WAHDAT -- A NORTHERN
ALLIANCE GROUP THAT CONTROLS THE CENTRAL AFGHAN REGION OF
BAMIYAN.
ZEEMA AND SHAKA DARA HEIGHTS ARE THE LAST PIECE OF HIGH GROUND
BEFORE THE KHAIR KHANA HILLS WHICH SURROUND KABUL. THE HEIGHTS
ALSO OVERLOOK TALEBAN SUPPLY ROUTES ON THE SO-CALLED OLD AND NEW
ROADS, LINKING KABUL WITH NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN. IF THE HIGH
GROUND HAS CHANGED HANDS, IT WOULD BE THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT
DEVELOPMENT IN THE KABUL FRONT-LINE FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR, AND
THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS THE ALLIANCE HAS CONTROLLED THE AREA.
(REST OPT)
NORTHERN ALLIANCE SPOKESMAN DR ABDULLAH WAS SPEAKING BY SATELLITE
PHONE FROM TURKEY -- WHERE DEPOSED ALLIANCE PRESIDENT BURHANUDDIN
RABBANI HAS HELD TALKS WITH TURKISH PRESIDENT SULEYMAN DEMIREL.
DR ABDULLAH SAYS PRESIDENT DEMIREL HAS OFFERED TO HOST PEACE
TALKS ON AFGHANISTAN UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE UNITED NATIONS. HE
SAYS THE TURKISH PRESIDENT SAID THERE IS NO MILITARY SOLUTION TO
THE AFGHAN PROBLEM AND PEACEFUL MEANS MUST BE USED.
DR ABDULLAH SAYS GENERAL ABDUL RASHID DOSTUM -- WHO LOST CONTROL
OF NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN TO THE TALEBAN IN AUGUST -- IS CURRENTLY
IN IRAN, AFTER VISITING TURKEY LAST MONTH.
TENSION HAS RISEN IN THE PAST WEEK BETWEEN SHI'ITE MUSLIM IRAN
AND THE SUNNI MUSLIM TALEBAN FOLLOWING THE REPORTED DISAPPEARENCE
OF 10 IRANIAN DIPLOMATS AND A JOURNALIST FROM AN IRANIAN
CONSULATE DURING THE TALEBAN'S RECENT ADVANCE INTO NORTHERN
AFGHANISTAN.
TEHRAN HAS DEMANDED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE 11 IRANIANS AND
HAS MOVED 70,000 TROOPS TO ITS BORDER WITH AFGHANISTAN --
ALTHOUGH IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER, AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI, HAS
RULED OUT ARMED CONFRONATATION. THE LEADER OF THE TALEBAN,
MULLAH MOHAMMED OMAR, HAS SAID THE MISSING IRANIANS ARE MOST
LIKELY DEAD -- KILLED BY RENEGADE TALEBAN SOLDIERS -- AND HE HAS
ASKED THE UNITED NATIONS TO MEDIATE THE ISSUE.
IRAN AND TURKEY HAVE ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS LINKS TO MINORITY
GROUPS IN AFGHANISTAN'S NORTHERN ALLIANCE. NEITHER COUNTRY HAS
RECOGNISED THE TALEBAN. (SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/KL
07-Sep-98 9:53 AM EDT (1353 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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