Prominent Afghan dies in exile

A prominent former member of the Afghan pro-Communist government, General Mohammad Aslam Watanjar, has died of cancer in exile in the Ukrainian city of Odessa.

General Watanjar, who was fifty-six, played an significant role in the coup in 1978 against the Afghan president, Mohammad Daud, who was killed.

General Watanjar later became a member of the politburo in the Russian-backed government in Kabul.

He also served as defence minister under President Najibullah who was deposed in 1992 and executed by the Taleban four years later.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service