DATE=9/13/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238568
TITLE=AFGHAN FIGHTING (L-O)
BYLINE=ALI ZAIDI
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE TALEBAN SAYS IT HAS CAPTURED THE LAST MAJOR TOWN
CONTROLLED BY AFGHAN OPPOSITION FORCES. BUT ALI ZAIDI REPORTS
FROM ISLAMABAD OPPOSITION SOURCES ARE DENYING THE TALEBAN REPORT.
TEXT: THREE-DAYS AFTER TALEBAN FIGHTERS LAUNCHED THEIR LATEST
OFFENSIVE AGAINST OPPOSITION FORCES IN CENTRAL AFGHANISTAN,
TALEBAN OFFICIALS CLAIM TO HAVE CAPTURED THE CITY OF BAMIYAN.
BAMIYAN WAS THE LAST MAJOR STRONGHOLD OF THE SHIITE OPPOSITION
GROUP HEZB-E-WAHDAT. A TALEBAN SPOKESMAN IN KABUL SAID TALEBAN
FIGHTERS HAD TAKEN CONTROL OF THE CITY EARLY SUNDAY, BUT THERE
WAS NO INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION. TALEBAN OFFICIALS DID NOT
PROVIDE ANY DETAILS.
IN NEIGHBORING PAKISTAN, A HEZB-E-WAHDAT SPOKESMAN DENIED HIS
GROUP HAD LOST BAMIYAN, TELLING THE AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS AGENCY
(A-I-P) THE FIGHTING WAS MORE THAN 25-KILOMETERS FROM THE CITY.
TALEBAN FORCES HAVE ADVANCED RAPIDLY THROUGH THE CENTRAL AFGHAN
PROVINCE OF BAMIYAN, THE LAST SIGNIFICANT AREA STILL CONTROLLED
BY OPPOSITION FORCES. LAST MONTH THE TALEBAN SWEPT THROUGH MUCH
OF NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN IN A CAMPAIGN TO CONSOLIDATE THEIR
CONTROL OVER THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
THE SUNNI-MUSLIM TALEBAN FORCES HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF KILLING
HUNDREDS OF SHIITES IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCES LAST MONTH, IN
APPARENT REPRISALS FOR TALEBAN LOSSES IN THE AREA LAST YEAR.
HEZB-E-WAHDAT LEADERS HAD VOWED TO DEFEND BAMIYAN AT ALL COSTS,
SAYING THEY FEARED BEING MASSACRED IF THEY SURRENDERED.
IN THE WAKE OF THESE REPORTS, THE TALEBAN SUPREME LEADER MULLAH
OMAR HAS INSTRUCTED HIS FIGHTERS TO PROTECT OPPOSITION PRISONERS
AND CIVILIANS IN BAMIYAN.
BUT THE CAPTURE OF BAMIYAN IS LIKELY TO RAISE TENSIONS FURTHER
BETWEEN THE TALEBAN AND IRAN, WHICH SHARES RELIGIOUS TIES WITH
THE MINORITY SHIITE COMMUNITY IN AFGHANISTAN.
IRAN HAS VOWED REVENGE FOR THE DEATH OF NINE IRANIAN DIPLOMATS
WHO WERE KILLED BY TALEBAN FIGHTERS AS THEY CAPTURED THE NORTHERN
AFGHAN CITY OF MAZAR-E-SHARIF LAST MONTH. MORE THAN 40 OTHER
IRANIANS IN THE CITY AT THE TIME WERE TAKEN PRISONER BY THE
TALEBAN.
TEHRAN HAS ANNOUNCED 200-THOUSAND TROOPS WILL CONDUCT WAR GAMES
ON ITS BORDER WITH AFGHANISTAN, AND DEMANDED THE RELEASE OF ITS
NATIONALS. THE TALEBAN ACCUSES IRAN OF INTERFERING IN THE AFGHAN
CIVIL WAR.
TEHRAN DENIES HAVING ARMED THE AFGHAN OPPOSITION, BUT DOMESTIC
PRESSURE HAS GROWN IN IRAN FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO COME TO THE
RESCUE OF THE SHIITE MINORITY IN AFGHANISTAN. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/RAE
13-Sep-98 9:04 AM EDT (1304 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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