August 1, 1999

Afghan opposition says Bagram airbase recaptured
KABUL, Aug 1 (AFP) - Afghanistan's opposition Sunday re-captured the strategically important Bagram airbase after launching a counter-attack from neighbouring frontlines, an opposition spokesman said.

Taliban Take Foe's Airbase, Forces Head North
07:00 a.m. Aug 01, 1999 Eastern
By Sayed Salahuddin
KABUL, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Taliban fighters Sunday seized opposition leader Ahmad Shah Masood's key Bagram airbase, their first major prize in an offensive to establish total dominance of the movement's rule in Afghanistan.

Taliban blitz pushes Afghan opposition into retreat
KABUL, Aug 1 (AFP) - Afghan frontlines erupted into full scale battle zones on Sunday with the ruling Taliban scoring quick victories, forcing opposition troops and their commander Ahmad Shah Masood into a retreat.

Taliban capture last opposition air base
The News: Jang
By Anwar Iqbal
ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia captured the last opposition air base, Taliban sources said on Saturday. About 40 km north of Kabul, Bagram is one of Afghanistan's largest military air bases and

Voice of America
 INTRO:  The Taleban have captured a key airbase from opposition forces during its five-day offensive aimed bringing all of Afghanistan under its control.  From Islamabad, correspondent Scott Anger reports.

Nine hundred Afghan opposition troops join Taliban: report
Saturday, 31-Jul-1999 7:40PM
ISLAMABAD, July 31 (AFP) - Two key opposition commanders and 900 fighters surrendered on Saturday to the Taliban militia in the province of Kapisa north of Kabul, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported.

Taliban admit presence of foreign volunteers in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Taliban have admitted the presence of a large number of foreign volunteers fighting alongside them against the Afghan opposition.

Omar denies Pakistan troop presence
Dawn
PESHAWAR, July 31: Afghanistan's Taliban supreme leader Mulla Muhammad Omar has dismissed reports that Pakistani troops were fighting alongside militia against the beleaguered opposition forces in the north of the war-

Masood men capture 3 'Pakistanis'
Dawn
KABUL, July 31: Afghanistan's opposition on Saturday said three alleged 'Pakistani mercenaries' fighting with the Taliban had been captured by forces loyal to commander Ahmad Shah Masood in northern Afghanistan.

War-weary Afghans dismiss fighting as a solution
KABUL, Aug 1 (AFP) - War-weary residents of Kabul, two-thirds of which is in ruins after years of factional battles, have greeted the latest round of fighting with a mixture of gloom and disgust.

UN not to recognize Taliban: Brahimi
TEHRAN (NNI): UN special envoy for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi has said that Taliban would continue to face the problem of non-recognition by the international community even if they capture the entire Afghan territory through

  pakistani military presence in afghanistan a "big mistake"
tehran, aug. 1, irna -- an english daily sunday castigated the presence of pakistani troops in afghanistan to help the taliban fight against the afghan opposition and stressed that pakistan must realize that is not only making a big mistak

Taliban's claim of capturing Mehmood-e-Raqi denied
TEHRAN (NNI): Afghan opposition Saturday denied Taliban's claim of capturing Mehmod-e-Raqi in Kapisa province and said the fierce fighting is still raging in Najrab, Koh-e-Safi and old road area, reports Radio Tehran.

Flour price in Afghanistan jumps to Rs 25 a kg
ISLAMABAD (NNI): With the emergence of renewed full-scale war between Afghan factions, the prices of flour in Afghanistan have jumped to Rs 25 a kg, making the commodity a precious item, a government observer said.

  taliban delegation in iran - daily
tehran, aug. 1, irna -- a six-member political delegation from taliban is in zabol, sistan and baluchestan province for talks with the iranian officials, a morning daily sunday quoted "an informed source" as saying.

Deposed Afghan head says Pakistan ``meddling''
08:54 a.m. Aug 01, 1999 Eastern
By Andrew Hill
ISLAMABAD, Aug 1 (Reuters) - The man deposed as Afghan president by the Taleban accused Pakistan on Sunday of meddling in Afghanistan's affairs by allowing Pakistani religious recruits to fight alongside the Islamic militia.

Japan supports UN efforts to end Afghan war
The News: Jang
ISLAMABAD: Japan supports United Nations peace efforts for the end of Afghan war, Japanese Embassy official said on Saturday. "Our basic perception on Afghan affairs is that the never-ending conflict in

  afghan islamic gov't urges un to stop pakistan's intervention
tehran, aug. 1, irna -- embassy of the islamic government of afghanistan in tehran in a letter cabled on sunday called on the un, the security council and the organization of the islamic conference (oic) to prevent continued intervention of

Another US attack on Afghanistan likely
The Nation
The chances of another US cruise missile attack on Afghanistan are growing as there was no change in Taliban's stand on Osama bin Laden, said BBC on Saturday.

US shifts focus on Taliban
The Nation (Opinion)
Ikram Ullah
Even at the height of the Afghan Jihad, President Ziaul Haq never received such compliments from the State Department and the White House, as Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif is being currently bestowed.

Afghan see-saw
Dawn (Editorial)
THE latest developments in Afghanistan have shattered all hopes of peace in this war-torn country. Much to the despair of the world community, earlier this week the Taliban launched their summer offensive against Ahmad Shah

Afghanistan: UN’s utter failure
Naqib Ullah
Frontier Post (Article)
After the failure of the recent UN-sponsored peace talks in Uzbekistan, it became clear that a full-scale war would resume in Afghanistan. It seems that the UN has lost its credibility in bringing peace to Afghanistan or convincing the