Ukrainin mafia gun-running to Taliban with Saudi money: envoy
Fri 07 Aug 98 - 14:21 GMT
MOSCOW, Aug 7 (AFP) - The Ukrainian mafia is supplying arms through Pakistan to Taliban militant fundamentalists in Afghanistan with the help of Saudi Arabian money, Afhganistan's ambassador here alleged Friday.
Abdul Wahab Assefi told journalists: "The Pakistani military are supplying the Taliban with arms they have bought from Ukrainian mafia groups."
"These deliveries are being financed by Saudi Arabaia," he claimed.
The embassy quoted Afghan intelligence sources as saying the supplies included AN-32 planes, T-62 tanks and Kalashnikov automatic rifles, all originally types of Russian design.
The Ukrainian government and Pakistan signed a 650-million dollar in 1996 on supply to Pakistan of 320 T-80 UD tanks, of which more than 100 have already been delivered.