November 3, 1999

Afghan opposition closing in on Mazar-e-Sharif
TEHRAN (NNI): Afghan opposition has advancing towards the strategic Mazar-e-Sharif city in northern Afghanistan after blocking Bamyan-Mazar-e-Sharif road, reports Radio Tehran.

Taliban chief abandons talks with US on bin Laden issue
Tuesday, 02-Nov-1999 7:10PM
Story from AFP / Mohammad Bashir
KABUL, Nov 2 (AFP) - The Taliban militia's supreme leader Mulla Mohammad Omar Tuesday abandoned talks with the United States on alleged terrorist Osama bin Laden, saying Washington did not want a negotiated settlement of the issue.

Bin Laden May Stay in Afghanistan
By Kathy Gannon
Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, Nov. 2, 1999; 4:17 p.m. EST
KABUL, Afghanistan –– Osama bin Laden will likely remain in Afghanistan after the United States rejected an offer by the suspected terrorist to leave for a secret destination, a spokesman for the ruling Taliban militia said Tuesday.

Pakistan Muslim Militants Rally To Pledge Holy War
01:47 a.m. Nov 03, 1999 Eastern
By Tahir Ikram
LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - An Islamic militant group battling Indian rule of Kashmir began a three-day meeting Wednesday in defiance of international pressure on Pakistan to rein in armed religious zealots.

U.S. Aims To Cut Off Havens For Bin Laden-Official
07:56 p.m Nov 02, 1999 Eastern
By Tabassum Zakaria
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is trying to cut off avenues of escape for accused bombing mastermind Osama bin Laden into Chechnya or Iraq, but it remains unclear whether he will leave Afghanistan before a U.N. deadline, a

Taliban threaten to close Osama chapter
ISLAMABAD (NNI): The supreme leader of the Afghan ruling Taliban, Mullah Omar Tuesday threatened to close Osama bin Laden chapter for good if the United States stuck to its demand for the Saudi nationals hand-over.

Mulla Omar threatens to close Osama chapter
The News: Jang
By Rahimullah Yusufzai
PESHAWAR: Taliban leader Mulla Mohammad Omar warned on Tuesday that his movement would be constrained to close the Osama bin Laden chapter if the US continued to block its proposals to peacefully resolve the dispute

Dostum seeks Russias help against Taliban
ISLAMABAD (NNI): The former Afghan warlord and chief of Jubash-e-Milli Islami Afghanistan, General Abdul Rashid Dostum has sought Russias help against the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan.

Kabul better off without bin Laden - Saudi leader
03:55 p.m Nov 02, 1999 Eastern
By Charles Aldinger
WASHINGTON, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Saudi Defence Minister Prince Sultan said on Tuesday Afghanistan would be better off without Osama bin Laden and justice should take its course for the Saudi-born Islamist who faces U.S. terrorism charges.

US yet to accept Talibans offer to monitor Osama activities
ISLAMABAD (NNI): The United States has not accepted new proposal of the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan to keep bin Laden under strict watch of the Taliban minders and international monitors.

Afghan people oppose Osama extradition
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Majority of Afghan people have asked Afghanistan ruling Taliban not to hand over Osama bin Laden to the United States saying his extradition will damage Afghanistans honour and dignity.

Monitoring Afghanistan
The Nation: (Opinion)
Brigadier (Retd) A.R. Siddiqi
A workshop organised recently by the Area Study Centre University of Peshawar on Afghanistan might have been more of the same in the end, but a lot better in essence. As an 'unstructured' talking forum, it encouraged