September 16, 1998

Taliban discover three mass graves near Mazar-i-Sharif: report Wed 16 Sep 98 - 20:11 GMT ISLAMABAD, Sept 16 (AFP) - Taliban authorities have discovered three mass graves in northern Afghanistan containing bodies of 900 Islamic militia soldiers, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported Wednesday. Escaped Iranian diplomat says Pakistani in Taliban raiding party Wed 16 Sep 98 - 20:04 GMT
TEHRAN, Sept 16 (AFP) - An Iranian diplomat who escaped after the Taliban militia stormed the Iranian consulate in northern Afghanistan last month said Wednesday one of the raiding party was a Pakistani national. US, Iran prepare high-level meeting on Afghanistan Wed 16 Sep 98 - 19:43 GMT
WASHINGTON, Sept 16 (AFP) - Representatives of the United States and Iran are preparing to meet Monday in New York to discuss Afghanistan, in the highest level meeting of officials from the two countries since the 1979 hostage crisis, diplomats said here Wednesday.
Pakistan to send FM to Tehran in bid to defuse Afghan-Iran tension Wed 16 Sep 98 - 18:29 GMT
ISLAMABAD, Sept 16 (AFP) - Pakistan is to send Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz to Tehran in a bid to defuse border tension between Iran and Afghanistan's Taliban milita and to offer reassurances of Islamabad's "abiding friendship", officials said late Wednesday.

Taleban agree conditions for U.N. mission to Bamiyan
03:37 p.m Sep 16, 1998 Eastern

By Anthony Goodman

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taleban rulers have agreed to U.N. conditions for sending an assessment mission to the recently captured town of Bamiyan in response to their request for humanitarian assistance, a U.N. spokesman said on Wednesday.

Iranian Tanks Head to Afghan Border

Wednesday, September 16, 1998; 3:52 p.m. EDT
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Opposition fighters said Wednesday that they have re-captured the key central Afghanistan town of Bamiyan, a claim the Taliban religious army disputed.
Annan considering request for UN mediation on Afghanistan Wed 16 Sep 98 - 16:42 GMT
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 16 (AFP) - UN chief Kofi Annan is "giving consideration" to a request from Taliban authorities in Afghanistan to mediate in their crisis with Iran, a UN spokesman said Wednesday. Iran seeks political solution with Taliban, but sends troops to border Wed 16 Sep 98 - 16:54 GMT
TEHRAN, Sept 16 (AFP) - Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi called on Wednesday for a political solution to the conflict with the Taliban Islamic militia even as nine army divisions headed towards the border with Afghanistan. Anti-Taliban forces stage counter attacks around Bamiyan: UN source Wed 16 Sep 98 - 13:17 GMT
ISLAMABAD, Sept 16 (AFP) - Anti-Taliban forces have staged a series of counter-attacks around the central Afghan town of Bamiyan which the militia seized Sunday and have recaptured the local airstrip, UN sources said here Wednesday.

Taliban, Foes Claim Control Of Airport
10:04 a.m. Sep 16, 1998 Eastern

By Andrew Hill

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - The Taliban and its Iranian-backed foes both claimed control over a key airport in Bamiyan province Wednesday while a worried world called on Tehran and the Taliban to solve their standoff through negotiations.
Anti-Taliban forces stage counter attacks around Bamiyan: UN sources Wed 16 Sep 98 - 07:17 GMT
ISLAMABAD, Sept 16 (AFP) - Anti-Taliban forces have staged a series of counter attacks around Bamiyan City in central Afghanistan and have recaptured the local airstrip, UN sources said here Wednesday.
afghanistan-bamian-battles
  united islamic forces closing in on bamian tashkent, sept. 16, irna -- the united islamic forces, sending
reinforcement to bamian, have besieged the city. a member of the central council of the islamic wahdat party of

U.N. Team Sought in Afghanistan

By Nicole Winfield
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, September 16, 1998; 10:44 a.m. EDT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Afghanistan's Taliban leaders and the United Nations are trying to arrange for a U.N. team to go to Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of a key province.
Annan considering request for UN mediation on Afghanistan Wed 16 Sep 98 - 16:42 GMT
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 16 (AFP) - UN chief Kofi Annan is "giving consideration" to a request from Taliban authorities in Afghanistan to mediate in their crisis with Iran, a UN spokesman said Wednesday.
Iran mulls its options against Taliban militia Wed 16 Sep 98 - 15:44 GMT
TEHRAN, Sept 16 (AFP) - As tensions mount with the Islamic Taliban militia in Afghanistan, Iran is seeking a way to deal with the crisis without getting stuck in an Afghan quagmire as the Soviet Union did nearly 20 years ago.
  basij ready to defend iran's territorial integrity
tehran, sept. 16, irna -- the basij (volunteer forces) here wednesday in a statement announced that the force is ready to defend the oppressed people of afghanistan and to preserve the islamic iran's security across its eastern borders. Taliban chief urges Iran to resolve tensions peacefully Wed 16 Sep 98 - 06:38 GMT
KABUL, Sept 16 (AFP) - The supreme leader of the Taliban Mullah Mohammad Omar Wednesday called on Iran to resolve their differences peacefully after Tehran ordered its forces to prepare for action against the Islamic militia. Nine Iranian army divisions head for Afghan border Wed 16 Sep 98 - 14:54 GMT
TEHRAN, Sept 16 (AFP) - Nine Iranian army divisions headed for areas near the border with Afghanistan on Wednesday to participate in expanded military maneuvres due to start in the next few days, the military said.
Two diplomats who escaped Taliban return to Iran Wed 16 Sep 98 - 09:05 GMT
TEHRAN, Sept 16 (AFP) - Two Iranian diplomats who escaped the Taliban's deadly raid on Iran's consulate in northern Afghanistan last month have returned to Iran, state radio reported Wednesday.
Bangladesh condemns killing of Iranian diplomats in Afghanistan Wed 16 Sep 98 - 14:51 GMT
DHAKA, Sept 16 (AFP) - Bangladesh on Wednesday condemned the killing of eight Iranian diplomats and a journalist in Afghanistan, saying it wanted those responsible for the crime to be brought to justice. Iran urges Moslem world to stop Taliban killing Wed 16 Sep 98 - 11:08 GMT
TEHRAN, Sept 16 (AFP) - Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi called on the Moslem world on Wednesday to pressure the hardline Taliban to stop the killings of other ethnic groups in Afghanistan. Tehran students hold rally against Taliban, Pakistan Wed 16 Sep 98 - 10:18 GMT
TEHRAN, Sept 16 (AFP) - Several hundred Iranian students staged a rally here on Wednesday against the Taliban Islamic militia in Afghanistan and its main ally Pakistan. India wants "independent, non-aligned" Afghanistan: premier Wed 16 Sep 98 - 09:31 GMT
MADRAS, India, Sept 16 (AFP) - India wants an "independent, non-aligned" Afghanistan, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said here Wednesday.

Red Cross to visit captured Afghan town

Wednesday, September 16, 1998 Published at 14:14 GMT 15:14 UK

Officials of the International Red Cross in Afghanistan say they plan to visit the central town of Bamiyan, which has been captured by the Taleban.
Pakistan offers to mediate between Iran, Taliban Wed 16 Sep 98 - 08:59 GMT
TEHRAN, Sept 16 (AFP) - Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has offered to act as a mediator in a bid to ease tension between Iran and the Taliban in Afghanistan, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported Wednesday.
No Pak aircraft, armed forces involved in Afghan fighting: PM

The News: jang
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said that no Pakistani aircraft or armed forces personnel were involved in fighting in Afghanistan. He was talking to Iranian Ambassador Akhoundzadeh, who called on him, and

Mullah Omar warns to end cooperation with United Nations
By Rahimullah Yusufzai
The News: Jang
PESHAWAR: The Taleban Islamic movement founder, Mulla Mohammad Omar, has warned that Afghanistan would stop cooperating with the United Nations if it continues to deny the rights of the Afghan government and people.

Bamyan residents welcome arrival of Taliban
KABAL: The people of Bamyan province have welcomed the arrival of Taliban and are continuing their peaceful life, reports Afghan official news agency Bakhtar.

Afghan Ambassador calls on Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Maulvi Abdul Hakim Mujahid, Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan paid a farewell call on President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar at the Aiwan-e-Sadr here today.

Nawaz to meet Khatami in New York
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will meet Iranian President Muhammad Khatami in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session later this month, in a bid to reduce tension between the two countries, official sources said on Tuesday.

Tribesmen warn Iran against attack on Afghanistan
By our correspondent
The News: Jang
PESHAWAR: People belonging to different parties and organisations from the tribal belt have expressed grave concern over the ongoing tension between Iran and Afghanistan, and announced their support to the Taleban administration in case

Afghanistan: Arena for a New Rivalry

By Pamela Constable
Washington Post
Wednesday, September 16, 1998; Page A38

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept. 15‹Afghanistan, once a bloody battlefield of the Cold War, is becoming deeply embroiled in a high-stakes rivalry between two regional powers -- Iran and Pakistan -- for influence over that fractious state at the crossroads of Central Asia.

Taliban Press U.N. To Ease Tensions With Iran
By BARBARA CROSSETTE
The New York Times
September 16, 1998
UNITED NATIONS -- The Taliban movement, aware of its isolation in the face of an Iranian military threat, asked the United Nations again Tuesday to establish a mediation process for defusing tensions with Tehran over the recent killings of Iranian diplomats in Afghanistan.

LINE UP HERE TO INVEST IN AFGHANISTAN
NOTES FROM HERE AND THERE
Lewis Dolinsky
San Francisco Chronicle
September 16, 1998
After Gary Breshinsky returned to New Jersey from Kabul on September 5 with what he describes as a $415 million deal to provide the Taliban government with telecommunications equipment throughout

Osama's family builds $150m base for US Army
By Nayyar Zaidi
The News: Jang
WASHINGTON: A construction company owned by Osama-bin-Laden's family, the alleged mastermind behind the deaths of Americans in Kenya and Tanzania, completed construction of a 4,200 bed military barrack for the US Army in Saudi Arabia, The Washington Times reported.