January 19, 2000

Earthquake Hits Northern Pakistan, Afghanistan
Wednesday, January 19 4:43 PM SGT
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP)--A powerful earthquake jolted northern Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan shortly after noon Wednesday. But there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Strong quake jolts north Pakistan, Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD, Jan 19 (Reuters) - A strong earthquake rocked northern Pakistan and parts of neighbouring Afghanistan on Wednesday, but there was no immediate report of damage, residents and officials said.

U.S. Asked To Withdraw Soldiers
By Amir Shah
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2000; 5:32 a.m. EST
KABUL, Afghanistan –– A Taliban-controlled newspaper reported Wednesday that suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden would end his "hostility" toward the United States if Washington withdraws its soldiers from Saudi Arabia – the site of two of

Two close aides of Hekmatyar held in Kabul
By AIMAL KHAN
Frontier Post
PESHAWAR __ The Taliban authorities arrested two key leaders of Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) few days back in Kabul. According to a highly-placed Taliban official, Ustad Zabiullah and Ustad Khawaja, both close aides of HIA chief Eng. Gulbadin Hekmatyar

Kabul ready to reopen ties with Teheran
KABUL (AFP) - A senior minister from Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia said Tuesday the regime was ready to reopen diplomatic relations with Iran. "Our relations are very good. Our ties have improved 90 per cent," Taliban Information Minister

islamic scholars find taliban's restrictions unislamic
islamabad, jan. 19, irna -- two washington based islamic scholars have described the restrictions imposed by taliban militia on the afghans as unislamic. the verdict was given by dr. ahmad moin, associate professor of howard university, washington and

asefi: ties with taliban not included in foreign ministry agenda
tehran, jan. 19, irna -- the spokesman for the iranian foreign ministry, hamid-reza asefi, here wednesday denied a newspaper report on iran's conditions for the resumption of relations with the taliban group. the daily 'tehran times' in its wednesday issue

Afghan Taleban wants recognition of its dominance
KABUL, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taleban movement on Wednesday urged a new U.N. envoy to recognise it as the war-ravaged country's dominant force

Taliban welcome releases of stranded Afghan goods
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Afghanistan ruling Taliban Tuesday welcomed Pakistan governments decision to release all stuck up goods from Karachi port as well waiving off all demurrages on the items.

Afghanistan emergency aid needed now
Source: Operation Mercy
Date: 14 Jan 2000
Over 100,000 new refugees fled the fighting that intensified in August and September as the Taliban attacked villages, destroyed buildings, looted and burned homes and killed innocent citizens. These refugees continue to travel to the north near the Tajikistan border to escape the fighting.

Freed Cleric Weds in Pakistan
By Khalid Tanveer
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2000; 10:01 a.m. EST
MULTAN, Pakistan –– A Muslim cleric whom India freed from jail to end last month's highjacking of an Indian Airlines plane has married a teacher, family members said Wednesday.

Time to tame the Taleban
CESAR CHELALA
South China Morning Post (Commentary)
The attack by Taleban forces on the women of Afghanistan has continued unabated, impervious to international outrage, since the militia took power in most of the country five years ago.

TALIBAN AIDED TERRORISM AND REGIONAL INSTABILITY
Ahmed Rashid
Central Asia-Caucasus Institute
Wednesday/January 19, 2000
As Central Asian leaders have failed to forge a more acceptable security and political strategy to deal with Islamic radicalism, the South Asia-Central Asia region is becoming increasingly unstable. It is virtually

Blowback
UNHOLY WARS Afghanistan, America and International Terrorism
By KARL E. MEYER
Karl E. Meyer, a former editorialist for The New York Times, is coauthor with Shareen Blair Brysac of "Tournament of Shadows: The Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central Asia."