AFGHANISTAN - UN (VOA, JAN 26)

DATE=1/26/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-225836 TITLE=AFGHAN U-N (S) BYLINE=MEREDITH BUEL DATELINE=ISLAMABAD CONTENT= VOICED AT:

INTRO: U-N OFFICIALS TELL V-O-A THEY ARE PLANNING TO RETURN TO WAR-RAVAGED NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN WHERE PEOPLE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF ASSISTANCE. CORRESPONDENT MEREDITH BUEL REPORTS.

TEXT: U-N OFFICIALS SAY IN THE COMING WEEKS THEY WILL BEGIN A GRADUAL RETURN TO AREAS IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN CONTROLLED BY FACTIONS OF THE OPPOSITION ALLIANCE FIGHTING THE TALEBAN.

DURING A RECENT TRIP TO THE NORTHERN OPPOSITION STRONGHOLD OF MAZAR-I-SHARIF, ANTI-TALEBAN LEADERS ASKED U-N OFFICIALS FOR THE RESTORATION OF INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO THE AREA.

U-N SPOKESWOMAN SARAH RUSSELL TOLD V-O-A OPPOSITION LEADERS MUST MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT OF WELCOME TO THE RETURNING AID WORKERS.

// RUSSELL ACT //

WE WOULD BE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE THIS BECAUSE IN THE PAST THERE HAVE BEEN BROADCAST STATEMENTS AGAINST THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE STAFF WORKING FOR THE UNITED NATIONS IN MAZAR, WHICH WE FEEL THREATENS THE SECURITY OF OUR STAFF. WE CAN NOT LET PEOPLE GO BACK WHEN THEIR SECURITY IS AT STAKE.

// END ACT//

NEARLY ALL RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS WERE FORCED TO EVACUATE INTERNATIONAL STAFF FROM MAZAR-I-SHARIF LAST SEPTEMBER BECAUSE OF HEAVY FIGHTING BETWEEN THE TALEBAN AND MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION ALLIANCE. (SIGNED) ======

DATE=1/26/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-225839 TITLE=AFGHAN SITREP (L) BYLINE=MEREDITH BUEL DATELINE=ISLAMABAD CONTENT= VOICED AT:

INTRO: REPORTS FROM AFGHANISTAN SAY TALEBAN WAR PLANES HAVE ATTACKED THE CENTRAL AFGHAN CITY OF BAMIYAN KILLING CIVILIANS AND DESTROYING HOMES AND GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS. AS VOA CORRESPONDENT MEREDITH BUEL EXPLAINS -- THE AIR RAIDS CAME AS OFFICIALS FROM THE UNITED NATIONS PREPARE TO RESUME HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN.

TEXT: THE PAKISTAN-BASED AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS (AIP) REPORTS FOUR WARPLANES DROPPED BOMBS ON RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN THE CENTRAL AFGHAN TOWN OF BAMIYAN.

BAMIYAN IS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE HEZB-I-WAHDAT FACTION -- ONE OF THE MAJOR GROUPS IN THE ALLIANCE FIGHTING THE TALEBAN.

THE NEWS SERVICE QUOTES A SPOKESMAN FOR HEZB-I-WAHDAT AS SAYING THE BOMBS DESTROYED HOMES.

A REPORT ON TEHRAN RADIO SAYS SIX AREAS OF THE CITY WERE HIT AND A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED.

EARLIER THIS MONTH THE UNITED NATIONS SUSPENDED AN EMERGENCY AIRLIFT OF FOOD TO CENTRAL AFGHANISTAN AFTER THE TALEBAN BOMBED BAMIYAN'S AIR STRIP.

U-N OFFICIALS SAY MORE THAN 150-THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE REGION FACE STARVATION BECAUSE OF CROP FAILURE AND POOR HARVESTS.

THERE WERE NO INDEPENDENT REPORTS OF THE ATTACK AND A TALEBAN SPOKESMAN SAID HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE AIR RAIDS.

THE UNITED NATIONS HAS BEEN TRYING TO NEGOTIATE SECURITY GUARANTEES SO THE AIRLIFT CAN RESUME BUT AS ONE OFFICIAL PUT IT -- "THE TALEBAN ARE SHOWING NO MERCY."

MEANWHILE -- U-N OFFICIALS TELL VOA THEY ARE PLANNING TO RETURN TO WAR-RAVAGED NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN WHERE PEOPLE ARE DESPERATE FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE.

U-N OFFICIALS SAY IN THE COMING WEEKS THEY WILL BEGIN A GRADUAL RETURN TO AREAS IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN CONTROLLED BY FACTIONS OF THE OPPOSITION ALLIANCE FIGHTING THE TALEBAN.

DURING A RECENT TRIP TO THE NORTHERN OPPOSITION STRONG HOLD OF MAZAR-I-SHARIF, ANTI-TALEBAN LEADERS ASKED U-N OFFICIALS FOR THE RESTORATION OF INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO THE AREA.

U-N SPOKESWOMAN SARAH RUSSELL TOLD V-O-A OPPOSITION LEADERS MUST MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT OF WELCOME TO THE RETURNING AID WORKERS.

// RUSSELL ACT //

WE WOULD BE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE THIS BECAUSE IN THE PAST THERE HAVE BEEN BROADCAST STATEMENTS AGAINST THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE STAFF WORKING FOR THE UNITED NATIONS IN MAZAR WHICH WE FEEL THREATENS THE SECURITY OF OUR STAFF. WE CAN NOT LET PEOPLE GO BACK WHEN THEIR SECURITY IS AT STAKE.

// END ACT//

THE UNITED NATION'S WORLD FOOD PROGRAM (W-F-P) WOULD NORMALLY BE HELPING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN SURVIVE THE HARSH AFGHAN WINTER.

HOWEVER -- NEARLY ALL RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS WERE FORCED TO EVACUATE THEIR INTERNATIONAL STAFF FROM MAZAR-I-SHARIF LAST SEPTEMBER BECAUSE OF HEAVY FIGHTING BETWEEN THE TALEBAN AND MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION ALLIANCE.

DURING THE FIGHTING, UNIDENTIFIED GUNMEN LOOTED FOOD WAREHOUSES AND OFFICES OF INTERNATIONAL AID AGENCIES IN MAZAR-I-SHARIF. U-N SPOKESWOMAN SARAH RUSSELL -- SPEAKING FROM HER OFFICE IN ISLAMABAD -- SAID NEARLY EVERYTHING WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED.

// RUSSELL ACT //

WELL IT IS GOING TO BE A LONG AND PROBABLY RATHER EXPENSIVE PROCESS. WE HAVE GOT TO TRY AND WORK OUT EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED WHICH IS A BIT DIFFICULT TO DO FROM HERE. WE ARE IN TOUCH WITH OUR STAFF IN MAZAR BUT IT IS PRETTY MUCH A TOTAL REFIT, YES.

// END ACT //

THE TALEBAN CONTROL THE AFGHAN CAPITAL, KABUL, AND ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF AFGHANISTAN. THEY ARE FIGHTING AN OPPOSITION ALLIANCE THAT CONTROLS MOST OF THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY. (SIGNED)