December 24, 1999

Hijacked India Plane Turned Away From Kabul
02:03 p.m Dec 24, 1999 Eastern
LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Five heavily armed hijackers seized an Indian Airlines plane carrying 189 people, including foreigners, Friday and forced it to land in Pakistan before taking off again, apparently for Afghanistan or the Middle East.

Hijacked Indian Plane Lands in UAE
04:28 p.m Dec 24, 1999 Eastern
DUBAI (Reuters) - Five heavily armed hijackers seized an Indian Airlines plane carrying 189 people, including foreigners, on Friday and flew it to a UAE airbase near Dubai after landing in Pakistan and being turned away from Kabul.

Hijack negotiations in Dubai
The aircraft was an Indian Airlines Airbus 300
BBC
A hijacked Indian Airlines plane with more than 180 passengers on board has landed in the United Arab Emirates.

Six civilians killed in Taliban jet attack: opposition
Friday, 24-Dec-1999 9:00AM
KABUL, Dec 24 (AFP) - Afghan opposition groups said Friday Taliban jets attacked Sholgara, in the northern province of Balkh, killing six civilians and wounding eight others.

Taliban deny executing Arabs spying on bin Laden
KABUL, Dec 24 (AFP) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia Friday denied executing a Jordanian and a citizen of a Gulf state for spying on indicted terrorist Osama bin Laden.

Mine explosion incidents declining in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Mine explosion incidents are declining in war-ravaged Afghanistan, thanks to the efforts of the Anti-Mines Campaign Organization.

Taliban offer talks to Iran
TEHRAN (NNI): Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia have announced readiness to talk with Iran to remove any "misunderstandings" between the two sides, the local daily Tehran Times reported on Thursday.

Taliban FM hails Irans efforts for Afghan peace
TEHRAN (NNI): Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Mutawakkil has described the efforts of Iran for the political settlement of the Afghan issue as useful.

Old 'Great Game' with new players
By Alauddin Masood
Dawn (Opinion)
THOUGH peace has so far eluded the war-torn Afghanistan, economic compulsions may push the Afghans and the other players involved in the new version of the "Great Game" to seriously strive for a durable peace in the devastated land.