October 20, 2000

Veteran Afghan commander vows to strike back
Friday, October 20 8:20 PM SGT
AI KHANOUM, Afghanistan, Oct 20 (AFP) - Veteran Afghan commander Ahmad Shah Masood has vowed to drive the Taliban religious militia out of his former northeastern stronghold of Taloqan and hinted at a new alliance with his old ally

Afghan Taliban condemns Russian-US sanctions move
KABUL, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement Thursday condemned efforts by Russia and the United States to toughen U.N. sanctions over its alleged protection of terrorist groups.

US, Russia to mount pressure on Taliban
ISLAMABAD (NNI): United States and Russia have decided to mount pressure on Taliban to make them abandon support to terrorists and bring Osama bin Laden to justice.

Afghan drug production fell sharply in 2000 -U.N.
TASHKENT, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Revenues from opium poppy production have fallen significantly in Afghanistan, the world's largest producer, thanks to efforts to block smuggling routes, a top United Nations official said this week.

Drugs and violence meet in Central Asia
By Sujata Rao
TASHKENT, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Ex-Soviet Central Asia is on the verge of becoming a key meeting point for terrorism and narcotics trafficking, with drug money funding more violence in an already volatile area, a conference heard this week.

UN report Religious extremism is "ever-growing scourge"
By Anthony Goodman
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 19 (Reuters) - A U.N. investigator called religious extremism "an ever-growing scourge" and said this was epitomised by Afghanistan, whose Taleban rulers had "taken an entire society hostage."

Taliban, Uzbekistan agree on exchange of high level delegations
Islamabad, Oct 19, IRNA -- Taliban and Uzbekistan have agreed to exchange high level delegations, a spokesman of the Taliban embassy in Islamabad said on Thursday.

Iran and Russia condemn all forms of terrorism
Tehran, Oct 19 IRNA-Itar-Tass-ACSNA -- Iran and Russia strongly condemn all forms of terrorism, secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Ivanov told Itar-Tass on Wednesday evening. Speaking

Hekmatyar not intending to shift to Pakistan: spokesman
Islamabad, Oct 19, IRNA -- A spokesman of Hizb-e-Islami, Afghanstan on Thursday rejected reports that the former Afghan Prime Minister,

U.N. to Set up Drug Control Agency in Tajikistan
UNITED NATIONS (Oct. 19) XINHUA - The United Nations will officially inaugurate a new drug control agency in Tajikistan Friday, a high-ranking U.N. official announced Thursday.

Taliban claim foiling opposition’s offensive in Takhar
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Taliban claimed to have foiled two offensives of the opposition Northern Alliance in northern Afghan province of Takhar inflicting heavy casualties on commander Masood forces, reports Radio Kabul.

Taloqan under 3-way siege as fighting rages in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Reports from Northern Afghanistan indicate that following a series of counter-attacks by the Afghan opposition Northern Alliance forces led by Ahmad Shah Masood, fierce fighting is spreading in the northern provinces of

Afghans seek Musharraf’s help in tracing missing relatives
ISLAMABAD (NNI): A number of Afghans, in a letter to chief executive General Pervez Musharraf have sought his help in tracing former Afghan military officials who have been missing in Pakistan for the last 12 years.

UN envoy meets Afghan leaders
ISLAMABAD (NNI): The UN Secretary General’s special envoy on Afghanistan Francesc Vendrell has met a number of Afghan leaders in Peshawar and discussed with the ways and means for the solution of the Afghan conflict.

General accepts blame for port
By Pauline Jelinek, Associated Press, 10/20/2000
NEWS EXCERPT:
WASHINGTON - The Middle East port where the USS Cole met disaster was the best place to refuel Navy ships in a region full of terrorist ''rats' nests,'' retired Marine General Anthony Zinni said yesterday.