November 16, 2000

Afghan Opposition Questions Defector Identity and Denies False Allegations
By Omar Samad
WASHINGTON, 11/16/2000 - AAR - The Afghan United Front alliance Thursday vehemently rejected the validity of certain media reports and Taliban claims that a recent defector had accused Russian troops

Afghan Opposition Backs Ex-King's Peace Plan
Thursday, November 16, 2000 10:03 AM EST
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's anti-Taliban opposition alliance said on Thursday it fully backed a peace plan proposed by former king Zahir Shah to end the country's long civil war.

Crackdown likely on Afghan saboteurs - Frontier post (Pak.)
PESHAWAR, Nov 15 - To curb cross-border terrorism and to effectively check the involvement of the Afghan refugees in sabotage activities, the Interior Ministry has started scanning their origin in camps.

Pakistan Not Reopening Afghan Border
By KATHY GANNON
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan said Wednesday that it will not reopen its borders to refugees from war-weary Afghanistan, blaming the international community for not helping enough.

Taleban arrest prominent Afghan
A prominent Afghan connected to the royal family has been arrested in Kabul.
Dr Hamidullah Tarzi was an economic minister or advisor in several Afghan governments.

Afghan refugees - Frontier Post
Human Rights Watch has called on the governments of Pakistan and Tajikistan to reopen theirborders to refugees from Afghanistan.

Afghan Rulers Ban Poppies
By KATHY GANNON
KHOGIANI, Afghanistan (AP) - Zulmai Khan has planted wheat instead of poppies this year, and expects his income to plunge from $10,000 to $400.

Afghan commander defects over Russians - BBC
An Afghan opposition commander who defected last week to the ruling Taleban has said he changed sides because of Russian support for the anti-Taleban alliance.

Taliban official rules out presence of Osama's spokesman in Jalalabad
ISLAMABAD, November 16 (Online): Taliban have rejected the reports that some Afghan person is the spokesman of Osama bin Laden and he speaks on behalf of the Arab dissident, reports BBC.

US activity triggers fears of possible strike on Bin Laden
ISLAMABAD, Nov 15 (Bahrain Tribune): The US navy and air force have stepped up their activity along Pakistan’s Makran area in the Arabian Sea, said reports reaching here yesterday. Reports said manoeuvres were still being conducted in

Osama Bin Laden II emerges to sponsor Islamic extremism: Paper
MOSCOW (NNI): Islamic extremists have got another Osama Bin Laden! Moscow's popular daily, Nezavisimaya Gazeta , has quoted Omar Baqr Ahmed, a Britain-based Syrian,

Zahir Shah's team holds talks with Rabbani - Frontier Post
ISLAMABAD, November 16 (Online): A delegation of the former Afghan King, Zahir Shah visited Badakshan province of Afghanistan and held talks with some leaders of the anti-Taliban alliance including Rabbani, reports BBC.

United Front extends conditional support to Loya Jirga - Frontier Post
KABUL, Nov 16 (Online): The United Front has extended conditional support to Loya Jirga saying that only if true and real representatives of the Afghan people are nominated, Radio Tehran.

Over 152,000 Afghans repatriated from Iran
Mashhad, Khorasan Prov., Nov 15, IRNA -- A total of 152,338 Afghan refugees have been repatriated from Iran, 125,413 of them pursuant to the voluntary repatriation program reached with the U.N.

NOTES FROM HERE AND THERE - San Francisco Chronicle
Lewis Dolinsky Wednesday, November 15, 2000
She Tells Why The Taliban Threw Her Out. Mary MacMakin, a 72-year-old American aid worker who has lived in Afghanistan off and on since 1961, was arrested there in July, then kicked

Pakistan rejects US N. technology offer - The Nation
KARACHI(From Anwer Sindhu) - Pakistan has turned down an American offer of the transfer of technology for the command and control of its strategic nuclear weapons force,

Afghan National Jirga calls for Pakhtun unity - Frontier post
PESHAWAR, Nov 15 - The two-day Afghan National Jirga commenced here with a pledge to unite all the Pakhtun at one platform, work to eradicate the existing differences and find