DATE=11/23/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-242043
TITLE=AFGHAN DEFECTION (L)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AN AFGHAN OPPOSITION LEADER WHO SURRENDERED TO THE
TALEBAN SAYS HE HOPES HIS ETHNIC-MINORITY WILL BE GIVEN A FAIR
ROLE IN A FUTURE TALEBAN GOVERNMENT. SARAH HORNER REPORTS
MOHAMMED AKBARI SAYS HE WANTS TO ACT AS A GO-BETWEEN FOR THE
SHI'ITE MUSLIM HAZARA AND THE SUNNI-MUSLIM TALEBAN.
TEXT: MOHAMMED AKBARI'S DEFECTION TO THE TALEBAN COULD
STRENGTHEN THE GROUP'S DEMAND FOR WORLD RECOGNITION AS THE
GOVERNMENT OF AFGHANISTAN. THE TALEBAN HAS LONG FACED CALLS FROM
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO FORM A BROAD-BASED ADMINISTRATION.
TEN-DAYS AGO, INCREASING COLD AND A LACK OF SUPPLIES FORCED MR.
AKBARI AND 20 SENIOR COMMANDERS OF HIS SHI'ITE-MUSLIM HAZARA
FACTION TO SURRENDER TO THE PREDOMINANTLY ETHNIC-PASHTUN,
SUNNI-MUSLIM TALEBAN.
REUTERS NEWS AGENCY REPORTS MR. AKBARI AS SAYING HE WANTS TO HELP
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TALEBAN AND THE HAZARA COMMUNITY. THE
REPORT (MONDAY) SAYS HE WILL SOON MEET TALEBAN LEADER MULLAH
MOHAMMED OMAR TO DISCUSS A GOVERNMENT ROLE FOR SHI'ITES.
THE AGENCY REPORTS MR. AKBARI SAID HAZARAS AND SHI'ITES WILL
OFFER THEIR COOPERATION AND DISCUSS THEIR EXPECTATIONS. REUTERS
REPORTS MR. AKBARI SAYS HE HAS BEEN PROMISED A ROLE IN A TALEBAN
GOVERNMENT AND A FAIR DEAL FOR HAZARAS BASED ON THE PROPORTION OF
THEIR PRESENCE IN AFGHANISTAN.
THE RELIGIOUS RIVALS HAVE MANY WOUNDS TO HEAL, INCLUDING
ACCUSATIONS OF CARRYING OUT MASSACRES.
HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS SAY DURING THE TALEBAN'S RECENT SWEEP INTO
NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN, THOUSANDS OF SHI'ITE MUSLIMS WERE MASSACRED
IN MAZAR-I-SHARIF. TALEBAN LEADERS DENY THEIR FIGHTERS KILLED
CIVILIANS.
THE TALEBAN SAYS THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE MASSACRED UP TO
TWO-THOUSAND OF ITS FIGHTERS LAST YEAR, AFTER A FAILED TALEBAN
OFFENSIVE IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN.
MR. AKBARI HEADED A BREAKAWAY FACTION OF THE HEZB-WAHDAT GROUP,
LED BY KARIM KHALILI. HEZB-WAHDAT HAS BEEN THE TALEBAN'S
FIERCEST OPPONENT, BUT IN SEPTEMBER TALEBAN FORCES OVER-RAN
HEZB-WAHDAT HEADQUARTERS IN CENTRAL AFGHANISTAN -- FORCING MR.
KHALILI TO FLEE TO IRAN.
THE TALEBAN CONTROL 90-PERCENT OF AFGHANISTAN. ITS SOLE
REMAINING OBSTACLE IS OPPOSITION COMMANDER, AHMAD SHAH MASSOOD,
WHO CONTROLS POCKETS OF TERRITORY IN THE NORTH OF THE COUNTRY.
THE DEFECTION OF MOHAMMED AKBARI COULD FURTHER UNDERMINE HIS
POSITION.
MEANWHILE, A TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRE HAS BEEN IN OPERATION ALONG A
BATTLE-LINE, JUST NORTH OF KABUL, TO FACILITATE THE EXCHANGE OF
PRISONERS-OF-WAR.
AFGHAN BUSINESSMAN SYED JALAL, WHO IS REPORTEDLY CLOSE TO THE
SAUDI CROWN PRINCE, ARRANGED THE CEASE-FIRE AND EXCHANGES.
TWO-THOUSAND PRISONERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE
EXCHANGES THAT BEGAN LAST MONTH. A FEW-HUNDRED PRISONERS HAVE
BEEN RELEASED AND THE PAKISTAN-BASED AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS (A-I-P)
SAYS THE TALEBAN FREED 100 OF MR. MASSOOD'S FIGHTERS MONDAY.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/TMD/RAE
23-Nov-98 2:15 PM EST (1915 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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