October 23, 2000

Afghan opposition forces close in on strategic Taloqan city
KABUL, Oct 22 (AFP) - Afghan opposition forces claimed Sunday they had tightened their grip on the strategic town of Taloqan in the northeast with the capture of a key gorge from the ruling Taliban militia.

Tens of thousands of Afghans flee fighting as winter approaches
KHWAJA BAHAUDDIN, Afghanistan, Oct 22 (AFP) - Tens of thousands of Afghans have been force to flee their homes as fighting rages in the northeastern provinces, leaving them destitute just weeks ahead of the harsh winter months.

Taliban warplanes bomb residential areas in Takhar
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Taliban jets carried out bombing operations against opposition northern alliance positions in Kalafgan district in northern Afghan province of Takhar destroying a number of residential houses.

UN official meets Taliban ahead of submitting report
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Special UN envoy Francese Vendrell held talks with a team from Afghanistan's ruling Taliban in Kabul focusing on resumption of dialogue between the Taliban and Afghan opposition groups, Afghan sources said Sunday.

Loya Jirga termed only solution to Afghan problem
The Frontier Post, 10/22
PESHAWAR - The United Nations has failed to restore peace in Afghanistan rather it could not stop foreign interference in the war torn country.

USS Cole inquiry doesn't rule out state link
ADEN, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Investigators probing the bombing of USS Cole in Yemen have not ruled out the possibility that another country played a role in the deadly attack, a U.S. official said on Sunday.

11 Afghans killed in clash with Iran troops
TEHRAN, Oct 22: Iranian security forces killed 11 Afghans and freed the 11 people they had taken hostage in eastern Iran, newspaper reports said on Sunday.

Japanese minister lauds Iran's services to Afghan refugees
Mashhad, Oct 22, IRNA -- Japanese minister without portfolio, Hiroshi Azuma said here on Sunday that services provided by Iran to the Afghan refugees are admirable.

Inquiry call over Afghan exile bungle - The Age (Australia)
By ADELE HORIN 10/23
The Immigration Department rejected out-of-hand a former Afghan foreign minister's application for refugee resettlement in Australia even though he was in dire peril once the Taliban swept into power.

45 houses of Afghan refugees demolished - DAWN
ISLAMABAD, Oct 21: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) enforcement directorate staff on Thursday bulldozed 45 mud houses built in Afghan basti in sector I-11.

Harkat chief for military training at Madaris - By Hasan Khan. The News Int.
PESHAWAR: All religious seminaries in Pakistan should introduce training in warfare as a compulsory subject in their syllabi, said Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil, chief of Harkatul Mujahideen, while speaking at the graduation ceremony of Jamia

Taliban dislodged from Farkhar Gorge near Taloqan
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Following heavy overnight fighting Sunday, the Afghan opposition United Front forces under the command of Ahmad Shah Massoud dislodged Taliban forces