October 18, 1998

Taliban retake town from rival Afghan commander Masood: report
Sun 18 Oct 98 - 15:09 GMT

ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (AFP) - The Taliban militia Sunday recaptured Taloqan, a strategic town in northern Afghanistan after fierce fighting with forces loyal to opposition commander Ahmad Shah Masood, a militia spokesman was quoted as saying.

3 Die in Afghan Rocket Attack

Sunday, October 18, 1998; 10:59 a.m. EDT

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Rockets hit an eastern neighborhood of Afghanistan's capital Sunday, killing three people, all of them civilians, said witnesses.

Voice of America

INTRO: THE TALEBAN SAY THEY HAVE RECAPTURED THE STRATEGIC NORTHERN AFGHAN CITY OF TALOQAN, A DAY AFTER LOSING IT TO OPPOSITION FORCES. AS ALI ZAIDI REPORTS
Rocket barrage kills 11 in Kabul, cuts access to outside world
Sun 18 Oct 98 - 13:03 GMT

KABUL, Oct 18 (AFP) - A string of rocket attacks on Kabul -- the worst in two years -- is taking a heavy toll on civilian life and has left at least 11 dead and cutting the last direct access routes to the outside world.

FOCUS-Opposition say Taleban attack repulsed
11:16 a.m. Oct 18, 1998 Eastern

ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (Reuters) - The last major opposition group battling Afghanistan's Taleban said on Sunday it had fought off a fresh assult by the Islamic militia north of the capital, Kabul.

Taleban Met Saudis, Refused To Hand Over Bin Laden
09:46 a.m. Oct 18, 1998 Eastern

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taleban militia has met the head of Saudi intelligence to discuss -- and refuse -- Riyadh's request that it deport terrorism suspect Osama Bin Laden, a senior Taleban official said in remarks published Sunday.

Taliban begin follow-up talks with UN

ISLAMABAD: Taliban and the United Nations on Saturday opened talks in Islamabad to review the understanding reached between the militia's supreme leader Mulla Omar and the visiting UN Secretary General's special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.