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DATE=10/5/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239695
TITLE=AFGHAN FIGHTING (L)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  THE TALEBAN IS REPORTEDLY PREPARING FOR A MAJOR BATTLE 
AGAINST THE LAST REMAINING OPPOSITION FORCE IN AFGHANISTAN.  
SARAH HORNER HAS THE DETAILS FROM ISLAMABAD.
TEXT:  THE PAKISTAN-BASED AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS (A-I-P) QUOTES 
TALEBAN SOURCES WHO SAY THEY WILL LAUNCH A MAJOR OFFENSIVE IN THE
COMING WEEKS. 
TALEBAN FORCES CONTROL 90-PERCENT OF AFGHANISTAN, ONLY TWO 
NORTHERN AREAS REMAIN IN OPPOSITION HANDS.
A-I-P SAYS THE TALEBAN ARE PREPARING AN ATTACK ON FOUR FRONTS 
AGAINST THE FORCES OF VETERAN COMMANDER, AHMAD SHAH MASSOOD.
COMMANDER MASSOOD IS A SENIOR LEADER IN THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE.  
IN THE PAST TWO-MONTHS, TALEBAN FORCES HAVE TAKEN MOST OF THE 
NORTHERN THIRD OF AFGHANISTAN WHICH HAD BEEN IN ALLIANCE HANDS.
THE NORTHEASTERN PROVINCE OF BADAKSHAN AND THE PANJSHIR VALLEY, 
JUST NORTH OF THE AFGHAN CAPITAL, KABUL ARE STILL CONTROLLED BY 
FORCES LOYAL TO COMMANDER MASSOOD.
THE PANJSHIR VALLEY WAS NEVER CONTROLLED BY SOVIET TROOPS, DURING
THE 10-YEAR SOVIET OCCUPATION OF AFGHANISTAN.
SOVIET FORCES MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO TAKE THE VALLEY, BUT WERE 
CONSTANTLY REPELLED BY COMMANDER MASSOOD, A MOVE WHICH EARNED HIM
THE NAME, "THE LION OF THE PANJSHIR".
BUT, TIMES HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE SOVIET OCCUPATION ENDED IN 
1989.  CIVIL WAR ENGULFED AFGHANISTAN AND COMMANDER MASSOOD FINDS
HIMSELF ISOLATED IN A WAY HE WAS NOT ISOLATED BEFORE.  HIS SUPPLY
ROUTES ARE EXTREMELY LIMITED AND HE IS FIGHTING A FORCE OF 
AFGHANS WHO KNOW THE TERRAIN THEY ARE ATTACKING.
THE AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS REPORTS COMMANDER MASSOOD HAS AMASSED 
MORE THAN FIVE-THOUSAND FIGHTERS TO LAUNCH AN OFFENSIVE ON KABUL,
BUT A TALEBAN SPOKESMAN SAYS TALEBAN FORCES WILL ATTACK FIRST AND
BEFORE THE START OF WINTER IN A FEW WEEKS.
SOURCES CLOSE TO COMMANDER MASSOOD TELL V-O-A HE WILL CONTINUE 
FIGHTING AGAINST THE TALEBAN AND THEY RULED OUT THE POSSIBILITY 
OF HIM EITHER SURRENDERING OF FLEEING AFGHANISTAN.   (SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/RAE
05-Oct-98 9:14 AM EDT (1314 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.