DATE=4/21/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248396
TITLE=AFGHAN FIGHTING (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: OPPOSITION FIGHTERS REPORTEDLY HAVE CAPTURED (WEDNESDAY)
A KEY TOWN HELD BY THE TALEBAN IN CENTRAL AFGHANISTAN. AS
CORRESPONDENT SCOTT ANGER REPORTS, THE VICTORY COMES AS FIGHTING
INTENSIFIES IN THE WAR-TORN COUNTRY.
TEXT: ANTI-TALEBAN FORCES SAY THEY HAVE CAPTURED THE PROVINCIAL
CAPITAL CITY OF BAMIYAN, AFTER AN OFFENSIVE WEDNESDAY IN CENTRAL
AFGHANISTAN.
REPORTS SAY HEAVY AIR-RAIDS BY THE TALEBAN ROCKED RESIDENTIAL
AREAS OF THE TOWN, LOCATED MORE THAN A HUNDRED KILOMETERS
NORTHWEST OF THE AFGHAN CAPITAL, KABUL.
UNTIL LAST YEAR, THE TOWN WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE SHI'ITE
HEZB-E-WAHDAT, ONE OF THE KEY MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION ALLIANCE.
BUT BAMIYAN FELL TO THE TALEBAN LAST SEPTEMBER AND THE
HEZB-E-WAHDAT WAS DRIVEN OUT OF THE CITY. THE VICTORY BROUGHT
ABOUT NINETY-PERCENT OF AFGHANISTAN UNDER THE TALEBAN'S CONTROL.
OPPOSITION FORCES, LED BY AHMAD SHAH MASOOD, HAVE MANAGED TO
MAINTAIN CONTROL OF ABOUT TEN-PERCENT OF THE COUNTRY SINCE THE
TALEBAN CAPTURED KABUL IN 1996.
FIGHTING HAS INCREASED IN AFGHANISTAN SINCE THE BREAKDOWN OF
PEACE TALKS THIS MONTH BETWEEN THE TALEBAN AND OPPOSITION. BOTH
SIDES BEGAN NEGOTIATIONS IN FEBRUARY IN AN ATTEMPT TO BRING PEACE
TO AFGHANISTAN, WHICH HAS ENDURED MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF WAR. THE
TWO SIDES AGREED TO MEET AGAIN, BUT THE TALEBAN HAVE SINCE RULED
OUT ANY MORE NEGOTIATIONS.
THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN AT THE
RENEWED FIGHTING AND HAS URGED THE TALEBAN TO RETURN TO THE
NEGOTIATING TABLE. (SIGNED)
NEB/SA/LTD
21-Apr-99 8:46 AM EDT (1246 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
