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DATE=9/29/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239421
TITLE=AFGHAN FIGHTING (L)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  THE TALEBAN SAYS IT HAS BROUGHT ALL OF A CENTRAL AFGHAN 
PROVINCE UNDER ITS CONTROL, AND HAS BOMBED ONE OF THE TWO 
NORTHERN REGIONS STILL IN THE HANDS OF THE OPPOSITION NORTHERN 
ALLIANCE.  SARAH HORNER HAS THE DETAILS IN ISLAMABAD. 
TEXT:  THE PAKISTAN-BASED AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS (A-I-P) SAYS 
TALEBAN FORCES HAVE CAPTURED THE LAST DISTRICT IN THE CENTRAL 
BAMIYAN PROVINCE.
A-I-P QUOTES A TALEBAN SPOKESMAN WHO SAYS RESIDENTS IN WARAS HAVE
RAISED WHITE FLAGS, THE SYMBOL USED BY TALEBAN FIGHTERS. 
THE SPOKESMAN SAYS THE WHOLE PROVINCE IS NOW IN TALEBAN HANDS, 
ALTHOUGH HE SAYS SUPPORTERS OF THE OPPOSITION HEZB-WAHDAT GROUP, 
A MEMBER OF THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE, MAY REMAIN IN SOME VILLAGES. 
THERE IS NO COMMENT FROM HEZB-WAHDAT AND NO INDEPENDENT 
CONFIRMATION, BUT AID SOURCES IN PAKISTAN TELL V-O-A THEY LOST 
RADIO CONTACT WITH THE AREA LAST WEEK, INDICATING THERE WAS 
FIGHTING THERE.
TWO-YEARS AGO, ON SEPTEMBER 27, THE TALEBAN CAPTURED THE AFGHAN 
CAPITAL, KABUL.  TALEBAN FORCES NOW STAND AT THE BRINK OF 
EXTENDING THEIR CONTROL TO ALL AFGHANISTAN. 
ONLY TWO ISOLATED POCKETS REMAIN IN OPPOSITION HANDS.  ONE OF 
THESE, JUST NORTH OF KABUL, IS CONTROLLED BY VETERAN COMMANDER, 
AHMAD SHAH MASSOOD.  
THE AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS SAYS TALEBAN FORCES HAVE CARRIED OUT 
BOMBING RAIDS (TUESDAY) AGAINST SEVERAL POSITIONS UNDER COMMANDER
MASSOOD'S CONTROL.  A-I-P SAYS THE TWO SIDES HAVE EXCHANGED 
ARTILLERY FIRE ON THE FRONTLINE, NEAR KABUL, AMID SPECULATION OF 
AN PLANNED ASSAULT ON THE CAPITAL BY COMMANDER MASSOOD. 
THE TALEBAN FIRST APPEARED IN 1994 AND HAVE SWEPT THROUGH 
AFGHANISTAN LARGELY BY PERSUADING OPPONENTS TO SWITCH SIDES, 
RATHER THAN THROUGH FIGHTING.  AN OPPOSITION SPOKESMAN TELLS 
V-O-A THIS METHOD WAS USED IN THE TALEBAN'S RECENT OFFENSIVE. 
THE SPOKESMAN SAYS COMMANDERS OF THE HARRAKAT MOHSENI FACTION ARE
FIGHTING ON BOTH SIDES IN AFGHANISTAN.  HE SAYS SOME COMMANDERS 
HAVE OPTED TO NEGOTIATE WITH TALEBAN FORCES IN ORDER TO SAFEGUARD
THE INTERESTS OF ETHNIC MINORITIES IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN.  
THE TALEBAN ARE PREDOMINANTLY PASHTUN, THE LARGEST AFGHAN ETHNIC 
GROUP.  ITS OPPOSITION IS CHIEFLY COMPOSED OF AFGHANISTAN'S 
MINORITY ETHNIC GROUPS.   (SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/LTD/RAE
29-Sep-98 9:42 AM EDT (1342 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.