Military

DATE=10/20/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-282058

TITLE=PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN (L)

BYLINE=JON TKACH

DATELINE=ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Heavy bombing has resumed in Afghanistan following a nighttime raid by U-S special forces on a Taleban target in the south of the country. Meanwhile, Pakistan's foreign ministry says a key Taleban minister visited Pakistan in recent days. V-O-A's Jon Tkach (pron:: KOTCH) reports from Islamabad.

TEXT: During a briefing Saturday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Riaz Mohammed Khan confirmed the visit of Mullah Jalaluddin Haqqani, a Taleban minister and military commander.

/// KHAN ACT ///

He has been here for a few days. He has met a number of Afghans, he has met Pakistani officials as well.

/// END ACT ///

He said the officials looked at the prospect of how a broad-based government could be set up in

Afghanistan. It is not clear if Mullah Haqqani had the approval of other Taleban leaders.

U-N officials say thousands of Afghan refugees are fleeing the U-S bombing and a worsening law and order situation in Afghanistan. They said five-thousand people have been allowed to cross into Pakistan, while thousands more who lacked the proper documents have been stranded at the border.

U-N refugee agency spokesman Peter Kessler says refugees are describing an increasingly dire

situation.

/// KESSLER ACT ///

People crossing at the border described Kandahar as empty and reported that fuel no longer was available. People claimed that some of their family members had been killed in the air strikes and people also said they were starving.

/// END ACT ///

U-N officials also cited numerous cases of looting at agency offices, and called on their Afghan coworkers to put their own safety ahead of protecting U-N supplies and property.

Earlier, more than 100 elite U-S troops raided a Taleban target in southern Afghanistan. Pentagon officials say all helicopters involved in ferrying the troops for the nighttime raid returned safely to base. They gave no word of casualties.

But two U-S soldiers were killed in Pakistan when their helicopter -- on standby for search and rescue support -- went down in what officials say was a landing accident.

Taleban officials quickly said their forces had a hand in downing the helicopter, but U-S officials say it never left Pakistani airspace. A Taleban embassy spokesman in Islamabad also said Taleban soldiers repelled the U-S raid. (Signed)

NEB/JON/JWH