DATE=10/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240012
TITLE=AFGHAN FIGHTING / IRAN (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ALI ZAIDI
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ANTI-TALEBAN FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN SAY THEY HAVE CAPTURED
LARGE AREAS OF TAKHAR PROVINCE IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN, AFTER
FIGHTING OFF A THREE-PRONGED OFFENSIVE BY THE TALEBAN. THE
FIGHTING COMES AS THE TALEBAN'S RELEASE OF MORE IRANIAN PRISONERS
RAISED HOPES OF AN EASING OF TENSIONS WITH TEHRAN. ALI ZAIDI HAS
MORE FROM ISLAMABAD.
TEXT: OPPOSITION SOURCES SAY COMMANDER AHMED SHAH MASOOD'S FORCES
MANAGED TO PUSH BACK THE TALEBAN FROM SEVERAL STRATEGIC PARTS OF
THE MOUNTAINOUS TAKHAR PROVINCE.
THE OPPOSITION CLAIMS ITS FORCES CAPTURED AN AIRPORT IN TAKHAR,
AND OCCUPIED THE HEIGHTS OVERLOOKING THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL
TALOQAN, WHICH WAS CAPTURED BY THE TALEBAN EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THE OPPOSITION SAYS SEVERAL TALEBAN FIGHTERS WERE TAKEN PRISONER
ALONG WITH TANKS AND SMALL ARMS. THERE WAS NO INDEPENDENT
CONFIRMATION OF THE OPPOSITION'S CLAIMS, WHICH HAVE BEEN DENIED
BY THE TALEBAN.
COMMANDER MASOOD'S FORCES ARE THE LAST SIGNIFICANT OPPOSITION
LEFT AGAINST A COMPLETE VICTORY FOR THE TALEBAN OVER ALL OF
AFGHANISTAN. THE TALEBAN NOW CONTROL 90 PERCENT OF THE COUNTRY,
AND HAVE MANAGED TO ISOLATE COMMANDER MASOOD'S FORCES IN POCKETS
IN THE NORTH.
THE OPPOSITION SAYS TALEBAN FORCES LAUNCHED COORDINATED ATTACKS
ON TWO OTHER KEY FRONTLINES OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS. BOTH AT
GHORBUND AND SALANG, OPPOSITION SOURCES SAY THEIR FIGHTERS HAVE
MANAGED TO FIGHT OFF THE TALEBAN OFFENSIVE. THEY SAY FIGHTING IN
SALANG WAS CONTINUING SATURDAY.
ANALYSTS EXPECT THE TALEBAN TO TRY TO COMPLETE THEIR MILITARY
CAMPAIGN BEFORE THE ONSET OF AFGHANISTAN'S HARSH WINTER. IN
RECENT WEEKS, THE FRONTLINES IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN ARE REPORTED
TO HAVE BEEN RE-INFORCED IN PREPARATION FOR A RENEWED OFFENSIVE.
BUT THE TALEBAN'S ATTENTION HAS BEEN DISTRACTED IN PART BY THEIR
STAND-OFF WITH NEIGHBORING IRAN, WHICH HAS MASSED ITS TROOPS ON
THE BORDER WHILE THREATENING RETALIATION FOR THE KILLING OF
IRANIAN DIPLOMATS BY THE TALEBAN.
ON FRIDAY THE TALEBAN RELEASED FIVE IRANIANS SAID TO HAVE BEEN
HELD PRISONER IN AFGHANISTAN FOR THE LAST 15 MONTHS. THE RELEASE
CAME A DAY AFTER IRAN SAID ITS FORCES HAD CLASHED WITH TALEBAN
FIGHTERS ON THE BORDER.
THE MEN WERE AMONG SEVERAL OTHER IRANIANS BEING HELD BY THE
TALEBAN, WHOSE RELEASE HAS BEEN DEMANDED BY TEHRAN. IRANIAN
OFFICIALS WELCOMED THE RELEASE AS A POSITIVE SIGN, BUT REPORTS
THAT THE MEN HAD BEEN TORTURED IN CUSTODY COULD ADD TO THE
TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.
MEANWHILE, DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO END THE CRISIS BETWEEN IRAN AND
AFGHANISTAN CONTINUED IN NEIGHBORING PAKISTAN, WHERE UNITED
NATIONS SPECIAL ENVOY LAKHDAR BRAHIMI HELD TALKS WITH PAKISTAN'S
FOREIGN MINISTER SATURDAY.
(SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/PLM
10-Oct-98 7:12 AM EDT (1112 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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