April 21, 2000

Afghan Taliban dismisses U.S. concerns
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement, rejecting ``baseless critisism'' in a statement seemingly aimed at U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, insisted Thursday it wanted good relations with its neighbors.

nation: taliban kill 5 girls for not marrying at their whim
islamabad, april 20, irna -- a pakistani newspaper on thursday reported that taliban militia recently killed five young girls when the latter denied to mary the men designated by the militia. the peshawar bureau of islamabad-based english daily

Afghan factions agree truce
The United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, says warring factions in Afghanistan have agreed to a three-day ceasefire to allow it to carry out a polio vaccination programme.

No military solution to Afghan conflict: Masood
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Former Afghan defence minister Ahmed Shah Masood has said the Afghan opposition is ready for talks and that the Afghan problem do not have any military solution.

UN envoy talks with Afghan warlords yield no results
ISLAMABAD (NNI): UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Frances Venderill talks with Afghan warlords have so far no yielded any outcome but he wants to hold talks for a reconciliation between the two sides, reports BBC.

taliban's interior minister due in islamabad next week
islamabad,april 20, irna -- the interior minister of taliban is scheduled to visit islamabad next week. mulla abdul razzaq will discuss 'matters of sensitive nature' with the pakistan interior minister, lt. general (retd) moinuddin haider. haider, who conducted a visit to

afghan policy alienating other states: german envoy
islamabad, april 20, irna -- the ambassador of germany in islamabad, hans joachim daerr wednesday said pakistan was alienating 'a long list of countries' by its pro-taliban afghan policy. addressing a seminar here, jaochim said that even if taliban

Taliban flays media for exaggerating sacked employees figures
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Afghan Foreign Minister Maulavi Wakil Ahmed Mutawakil has flayed media for blowing up out of proportion as well as exaggerated figures of sacked government employees.

The Paper Money War The embattled Northern Alliance has a new, potent weapon to fight the Taliban - fake currency
Outlook India
By V.K. Shashikumar in Panjshir Valley - Issue Dated: April 24, 2000
For Afghans resisting the Taliban he is Sher-e-Panjshir, an epithet he earned during his legendary battles with the Soviet

'Afghan emerald mines being plundered'
KABUL (April 21) : The ruling Afghan Taleban have reported an increase in emerald mining in the north of the country in areas controlled by their opponents, Northern Alliance.