August 17, 2000

Opposition forces press Taleban
By Kate Clark in Kabul - BBC
The Northern Alliance in Afghanistan says it has pushed to the outskirts of a key Taleban-held town in the north of the country.

Taliban accuse U.S of increasing Afghans sufferings
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Afghanistan ruling Taliban Wednesday accused the United States of multiplying the miseries of the already suffered Afghans by leveling baseless allegations about the presence of so-called terrorist camps as well Osama bin

Taliban Shuts Widows' Bakeries
By AMIR SHAH
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Saying Islam completely forbids women from working, Afghanistan's hard-line Taliban on Wednesday shut down bakeries run by widows, who are among the poorest of the poor here.

Group Backs Afghan Peacekeepers
GENEVA (AP) - Afghanistan's hard-line Taliban rulers have created the world's worst human rights situation, the representative of an Afghan women's organization said Thursday.

Afghanistan's looted national museum reopens
KABUL, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's national museum reopened on Thursday for the first time in almost a decade but many of its old treasures are missing, looted during factional battles in Kabul in the 1990s.

Taliban reject plan to convene Loya Jirga
ISLAMABAD, Aug 16 (Jang) -- The idea of convening a Loya Jirga was rejected by the Taliban in a recent meeting between former Afghan King Zahir Shah's envoy and the Taliban leaders based in Kandahar. The Taliban leaders told the visiting envoy

Taliban to celebrate Independence Day on Aug 18
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Afghanistans ruling Taliban would for the first time celebrate Day of Regaining of Independence, reports VOA.

Iranian delegation leaves for Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD (NNI): An Iranian delegation left for Afghanistan to hold talks with the authorities of the border Nimroz province.

Central Asian violence due to their own problem: Taliban
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Afghan Foreign Ministry Wednesday dismissed as propaganda that Taliban are involved in the recent border clashes in some of the Central Asian states and said accusations against the "Islamic Emirate is aimed at to appease

Kyrgyz troops killed in border clash with rebels
BISHKEK, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Islamic rebels clashed with Kyrgyz government troops on Thursday and the Central Asian state's Defence Ministry said it had lost six more troops in nearly a week of fighting.

Tajiks say border with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan blocked against Islamists
DUSHANBE, Aug 17 (AFP) - Tajikistan's borders with the neighboring Central Asian republics of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan remain secure against Islamic rebels, Tajik military official told AFP on Wednesday