DATE=7/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251702
TITLE=AFGHAN FIGHTING (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AFGHANISTAN'S OPPOSITION "NORTHERN ALLIANCE" SAYS IT HAS
SHOT DOWN A TALEBAN HELICOPTER AND REPULSED AN ATTACK IN NORTHERN
AFGHANISTAN. AS SARAH HORNER REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD, BOTH SIDES
ARE GEARING UP FOR A FRESH ROUND OF FIGHTING.
TEXT: NEWS AGENCIES QUOTE NORTHERN ALLIANCE SOURCES AS SAYING A
RUSSIAN-MADE TALEBAN HELICOPTER WAS DOWNED NEAR FRONT LINES IN
THE NORTHWESTERN SAMANGAM PROVINCE.
THE SOURCES SAY THE HELICOPTER WAS FERRYING TALEBAN TROOPS. THEY
SAY OTHER TALEBAN FIGHTERS RETRIEVED THE BODIES OF THOSE KILLED.
THE SOURCES SAY ALLIANCE FORCES ALSO SUCCESSFULLY REPULSED A
TALEBAN GROUND ATTACK NEAR SAMANGAN CITY.
THE PAKISTAN-BASED "AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS" QUOTES A TALEBAN
SPOKESMEN AS SAYING HE IS NOT AWARE OF ANY INCIDENT INVOLVING A
TALEBAN HELICOPTER, NOR OF FIGHTING IN SAMANGAM.
TALEBAN FORCES -- WHICH CONTROL 90-PERCENT OF AFGHANISTAN -- ARE
REPORTEDLY PREPARING AN OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE
THAT CONTROLS THE REMAINING 10-PERCENT OF THE COUNTRY.
THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE HOLDS POCKETS OF TERRITORY IN NORTHERN
AFGHANISTAN AS WELL AS THE NORTH-EASTERN TAKHAR AND BADAKSHAN
PROVINCES. THE TALEBAN ARE THOUGHT TO BE PLANNING ATTACKS ON THE
PANJSHIR VALLEY, 90-KILOMETERS NORTH OF THE AFGHAN CAPITAL,
KABUL.
THE PANJSHIR IS THE HEADQUARTERS AND STRONGHOLD OF OPPOSITION
COMMANDER AHMAD SHAH MASSOOD. DURING THE 10-YEAR SOVIET
OCCUPATION OF AFGHANISTAN -- WHICH ENDED IN 1989 -- COMMANDER
MASSOOD DEFENDED THE PANJSHIR AGAINST REPEATED SOVIET ATTACKS.
LIKEWISE, TALEBAN FORCES HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PENETRATE THE
VALLEY.
REPORTS FROM AFGHANISTAN SAY HEAVY CLASHES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES
HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE ON THE SHOMALI PLAIN, WHICH LIES BETWEEN
KABUL AND THE PANJSHIR.
COMMANDER MASSOOD IS SAID TO HAVE PLENTY OF SUPPLIES. TALEBAN
FORCES ARE BELIEVED TO BE DETERMINED TO REMOVE THE LAST REMAINING
OBSTACLE TO EXTENDING THEIR CONTROL OVER ALL OF AFGHANISTAN.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/RAE
13-Jul-99 8:37 AM EDT (1237 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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