• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=11/1/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-241003
TITLE=AFGHAN / MASSACRE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=VICTOR BEATTIE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
  // RE-ISSUING 2-240999, CORRECTING INTRO //
INTRO:  A PRIVATE, U-S / BASED HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP IS ACCUSING 
AFGHANISTAN'S TALEBAN OF A "KILLING FRENZY" OF ETHNIC SHI'ITE 
MUSLIM HAZARA PEOPLE.  THE GROUP SAYS A MASSACRE OCCURRED DURING 
THE TALEBAN'S AUGUST TAKEOVER OF THE CONTESTED NORTHERN CITY, 
MAZAR-I-SHARIF.  V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS A SPOKESWOMAN FOR
"HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH" SAYS AN ESTIMATED TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE DIED:
TEXT:  PATRICIA GOSSMAN QUOTES SURVIVORS WHO FLED TO PAKISTAN AS 
SAYING THE AUGUST EIGHTH KILLING WAS A TARGETED ATTACK TO AVENGE 
THE KILLING OF TALEBAN TROOPS DURING A BATTLE FOR THE CITY IN 
MAY, 1997.  MS. GOSSMAN SAYS THE TALEBAN ACCUSES THE HAZARA 
MILITIA IN THE EARLIER ATTACK AND SOUGHT OUT MEMBERS OF THAT 
MILITIA FOR RETRIBUTION:
                     ///GOSSMAN ACTUALITY///
         BUT, THE PEOPLE -- AMONG THOSE KILLED IN THIS AUGUST 
         MASSACRE -- WERE CIVILIANS IN THE FIRST DAY WHEN THE 
         TALEBAN CAME IN, JUST SHOOTING INDISCRIMINATELY AT 
         ANYONE IN SIGHT.  AND, AMONG THOSE WHO WERE PULLED OUT 
         OF THEIR HOUSES, ARRESTED AND SOME OF THEM SHOT 
         (WERE)CIVILIANS WHO WERE NON-COMBATANTS WERE JUST TAKEN 
         INTO CUSTODY AND SHOT.
                       ///END ACTUALITY///
MS. GOSSMAN SAYS THOUSANDS OF MEN WERE HELD PRISONER IN AN 
OVERCROWDED JAIL AND MANY OTHERS WERE TRANSPORTED TO OTHER CITIES
IN CLOSED CONTAINER TRUCKS.  THE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT SAYS 
HUNDREDS DIED OF SUFFOCATION AND HEAT STROKE.  WITNESSES ARE 
QUOTED AS SAYING WOMEN AND GIRLS WERE RAPED AND ABDUCTED.
THE TALEBAN -- WHICH CONTROLS MOST OF AFGHANISTAN, BUT IS NOT 
RECOGNIZED BY MOST COUNTRIES -- INSISTS THE KILLERS WERE ROGUE 
FIGHTERS WHO WILL BE PUNISHED.
MS. GOSSMAN IS URGING THE U-N HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES TO 
INVESTIGATE TO DETERMINE HOW MANY DIED, WHO THEY WERE AND UNDER 
WHAT CONDITIONS THEY WERE KILLED.  SHE SAYS THE ALLEGED KILLING 
OF TALEBAN FIGHTERS SHOULD ALSO BE LOOKED INTO TO BREAK THE CYCLE
OF SUCH REVENGE KILLINGS. 
SHE SAYS WORD OF THE MASSACRE HAS BEEN SLOW COMING OUT BECAUSE IT
TOOK WEEKS FOR SURVIVORS TO REACH PAKISTAN AND FOREIGNERS AND 
MEDIA WERE NOT ALLOWED INTO THE AREA.  (SIGNED).
NEB / WD / WD
01-Nov-98 6:42 AM EST (1142 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.