September 17, 1998

Taliban capture strategic Sheber pass : officials
Thu 17 Sep 98 - 16:28 GMT

KABUL, Sept 17 (AFP) - Afghanistan's Taliban on Thursday captured a strategic pass from troops loyal to rival Hezb-i-Wahdat party in central Afghanistan, official sources said.
Taliban claim territorial gain in opposition-held province
Thu 17 Sep 98 - 15:11 GMT

ISLAMABAD, Sept 17 (AFP) - The Taliban Thursday captured a district in the opposition-held Afghan province of Parwan north of Kabul, a private Afghan information service reported.
Taliban deny loss of ground in Bamiyan
Thu 17 Sep 98 - 08:52 GMT

KABUL, Sep 17 (AFP) - Afghanistan's Taliban regime on Thursday denied reports that opposition forces had launched a counter-attack and captured parts of the Bamiyan provincial town from the religious militia.
Anti-Taliban alliance seizes control of northern Afghan province
Thu 17 Sep 98 - 08:31 GMT

TEHRAN, Sept 17 (AFP) - An alliance of anti-Taliban forces has seized an important region in northern Afghanistan, taking near-complete control of Badakhshan province and flushing out the Islamic militia, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported Thursday.
UN plans Afghan mission, Taliban reject counter-attack report
Thu 17 Sep 98 - 10:54 GMT

KABUL, Sept 17 (AFP) - The United Nations Thursday was gearing up for an "exceptional" humanitarian mission to Bamiyan as the Taliban militia rejected reports that opposition Hazara troops had launched a counter-attack on the central Afghan town.
Pakistan FM arrives in Iran to hostile welcome from media
Thu 17 Sep 98 - 13:47 GMT

TEHRAN, Sept 17 (AFP) - Pakistani Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz arrived here Thursday on a mission to ease the crisis between Iran and the Taliban but received a hostile welcome from the media over Islamabad's role in Afghanistan.
Pakistan faces uphill task over mediation between Iran and Taliban
Thu 17 Sep 98 - 14:24 GMT

ISLAMABAD, Sept 17 (AFP) - The explosive row between Iran and the Taliban has turned the heat on Pakistan, which desperately needs to stay on good terms with both sides to ensure its own security in a volatile neighbourhood, analysts say.

Albright to Meet with Iran

By Barry Schweid
AP Diplomatic Writer
Thursday, September 17, 1998; 11:04 a.m. EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright plans to meet next week in New York with Iran's foreign minister as part of an eight-nation effort designed to head off conflict between Iran and the fundamentalist Muslim movement, Taliban, that controls most of Afghanistan.

Taleban say world ignores murder of their men
05:45 a.m. Sep 17, 1998 Eastern

By Andrew Hill

ISLAMABAD, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taleban, locked in a tense standoff with Tehran over the killings of Iranians, accused human rights groups on Thursday of ignoring the murder of its own fighters by Iran's allies.
Sudan to send senior delegation to Iran for condolences
Thu 17 Sep 98 - 15:06 GMT

KHARTOUM, Sept 17 (AFP) - Sudan will send a senior official delegation to Iran to express its condolences over the Iranian diplomats slain by the Taliban militia in Afghanistan, a Sudanese newspaper said Thursday.
War-weary Afghans nervously eye growing tension with Iran
Thu 17 Sep 98 - 12:45 GMT

KABUL, Sept 17 (AFP) - Battered by 20 years of war, Kabul's long-suffering residents are watching with trepidation the spiralling war of words with Iran even though few believe their powerful neighbour has the stomach for a fight.

Japan calls on Iran to refrain from attacking Afghanistan

Thu 17 Sep 98 - 11:40 GMT

TOKYO, Sept 17 (AFP) - Japan on Thursday urged Iran to refrain from attacking Afghanistan in retaliation for the murder of Iranian diplomats by a Taliban militia group last month.
Afghan refugees harassed in Iran following murder of diplomats: papers
Thu 17 Sep 98 - 11:32 GMT

TEHRAN, Sept 17 (AFP) - Afghan refugees in Iran have been harassed and some have died in attacks following the murder of Iranian diplomats by the Taliban Islamic militia in Afghanistan, newspapers reported Thursday.
UN confirms Monday ministerial meeting on Afghanistan
Thu 17 Sep 98 - 16:18 GMT

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 17 (AFP) - The United Nations on Thursday confirmed the holding of a ministerial meeting on Afghanistan, that will bring Iranian and US foreign ministers together for the first time since 1979.

Taleban hint at using Scuds as Iran rushes nine divisions to border

The News: Jang

ISLAMABAD: The Taleban on Wednesday said that they were ready to negotiate a peace treaty with Iran, but warned that their arsenal was a formidable one that included Scud missiles. On the other hand, nine Iranian army divisions headed

Border with Afghanistan sealed

By A.S. Yousufi

Dawn
PESHAWAR, Sept 16: The federal government has decided to completely seal the 1200 kilometre Pakistan-Afghan border, mostly alongside FATA, in a bid, as it was claimed, to check smuggling, gun running, influx of fresh refugees from

Iran-Taliban arms build-up: US asks Pakistan to stay away from conflict

By Our Staff Correspondent

Dawn
WASHINGTON, Sept 16: The US on Tuesday urged Pakistan not to interfere or worsen the explosive situation between Iran and Afghanistan.

Dealing with the Taliban

Prof. Khalid Mahmud

The News: Jang, Opinion

Whether or not it has been a wise policy to support the Taliban, it has nevertheless caused considerable embarrassment to Pakistan. Policy makers in Islamabad seem to pride themselves for backing the 'right horse' at the right moment, though

Why did Iran's foreign policy fail in Afghanistan?
Naqib Ullah

Frorntier Post

It is so sad to see that Afghanistan's neighbouring countries did not pursue a policy during the last two decades that could help bring about a lasting peace to the region. One thing other countries should remember that Afghanistan is as confusing as it is