September 29, 2000

Bomb explodes by Pakistani offices in Afghanistan
KABUL, Sept 29 (Reuters) - A powerful bomb exploded in the Afghan capital outside the offices of an aid agency and a weekly run by a religious Pakistani group backing the ruling Taleban, witnesses on Friday said.

Italy plans humanitarian corridor for Afghan aid
By Raja Asghar
ISLAMABAD, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Italy on Thursday proposed setting up a ``humanitarian corridor'' in war-torn Afghanistan through which European aid could reach people in need in areas controlled by both warring sides.

Italy may recognize Taliban once peace comes to Afghanistan: official
KABUL, Sept 28 (AFP) - A senior Italian government official said here Thursday Rome could consider recognizing the Afghan Taliban regime once peace prevailed throughout the war-ravaged country.

Pakistan, Italy share vision
ISLAMABAD, Sept 28 (NNI): Pakistan and Italy have expressed their joint desire to augment their bilateral ties, especially in the economic sphere.

Pakistan requests extradition of militants - 9/29
The authorities in Pakistan say they have requested Afghanistan to detain and extradite more than twenty Islamic militants thought to be sheltering in Afghanistan.

Taliban asked to extradite 23 Pakistanis wanted for violence: Minister
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Pakistan has handed over to Taliban authorities a list of 23 Pakistanis wanted for their involvement in terrorism and sectarian crimes, Interior Minister Lt. Gen. (R) Moinuddin Haider said Thursday.

UN says more than 8,000 Afghans flee to Pakistan
GENEVA, Sept 29 (Reuters) - More than 8,000 Afghans fleeing a Taleban offensive against the opposition in northeast Afghanistan have crossed into Pakistan, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said on Friday.

Russian aide denies overtures to Taleban
The Russian presidential aide, Sergey Yastrzhembsky, has said that his visit to Pakistan earlier this week was not aimed at establishing direct contact with the Taleban movement in Afghanistan.

Russia takes Afghan security concerns to Pakistan
MOSCOW, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Interior ministers of Russia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan will meet soon to weigh security fears caused by instability in Afghanistan, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

Russian, US security experts to discuss Afghanistan
WASHINGTON, September 29 (Itar-Tass) - A group of Russian and US experts dealing with terrorist threats from Afghanistan will meet in Moscow on October 17-18.

Yastrzhembsky not assigned to establish contact with Taliban
MOSCOW, September 28 (Itar-Tass) - Presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky, who had been on a visit to Islamabad, told journalists on Thursday that he had not been instructed to ask for Pakistan's assistance in order to establish contact with the Taliban.

Taliban preparing for attack on Badakshan
Islamabad, Sept 28 (IRNA) -- Sources close to the United Islamic Front of Afghanistan on Thursday said Taliban were making preparations to launch a wide ranging offensive on Badakhshan province.

Taliban Attacks in Samangan Are Repulsed
Thursday, September 28 - Payman-e-Mujahid
The attacks of the Pakistani-Taliban forces in Samangan province were defeated by the Mujahideen.
A Mujahideen military source reports that the combined enemy forces launched a simultaneous attack today against Mujahideen positions

Afghan official hopes for Russia political support
MOSCOW, September 29 (Itar-Tass) - Abdul Rakhim, special representative of the Afghan president, has urged Russia to expand its political and humanitarian assistance to his country. Speaking at a press conference here, he said that he had held talks

Over 100,000 refugees gather on Tajik-Afghan border
MOSCOW, September 29 (Itar-Tass) -- Over 100,000 refugees from Afghanistan have gathered on the country's border with Tajikistan, making a humanitarian catastrophe in the area inevitable, Secretary of the Tajik Security Council Amirkul Azimov said here on Friday.

Uzbekistan sentences Islamic separatist to death
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (Reuters) - A court in the Uzbek capital Tashkent has sentenced one man to death and another 13 to prison terms of up to 24 years for their part in Islamist separatist fighting in November, state television reported Thursday.