February 1, 2000

THE NEW STRUGGLE IN CENTRAL ASIA By Ahmad Rashid

Three explosions in Afghan capital Kabul
KABUL, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Three explosions hit the Afghan capital Kabul on Thursday, shattering windows but causing no casualties, witnesses said.

U.S. to give 72,500 metric tonnes wheat to Afghans
WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The United States is giving 75,200 metric tonnes of wheat to help feed people in Afghanistan in response to

UN lists Taliban officials for freezing their assets
The News Int. 2/1/01
ISLAMABAD: A United Nations committee, set up to deal with sanctions against the Taliban, have issued a list of senior Taliban officials whose financial assets will be frozen

Afghan Alliance call for Taleban to be tried for crimes against humanity
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Jan 29, 2001
Text of report by anti-Taleban Radio Voice of Mojahed web site on 28th January
It is an essential aspect of Taleban policy to foment differences on a racial and language basis [in Afghanistan], and from the very beginning this group has been taking fatal and rash steps to reach its goals.

Masood seeks US help against Taliban
WASHINGTON, Jan 31 -Dawn - The Afghan opposition Northern Alliance on Monday urged the United States to pressure Pakistan to cease its support to the Taliban led government of Afghanistan

Fighting in Afghanistan moves closer to Tajik border
DUSHANBE, February 1 (Itar-Tass) -- Intensive gun duels between the Northern Alliance troops and the Taliban forces are going on in Afghanistan in direct proximity to the border with Tajikistan.

Pakistani governor denies Afghan refugee crisis
Thursday, February 1 8:18 PM SGT
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Feb 1 (AFP) - Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf Thursday called on the United Nations to help prevent a flood of Afghan refugees as local officials threatened to deport them.

Pakistan not interfering in Afghan affairs: Akram
ISLAMABAD, Jan 31 Jang/The News -- Pakistan charge d' affaires in Washington, Zameer Akram said on Wednesday that Pakistan is not interfering in internal affairs of Afghanistan

Russia calls for Pakistani influence on Taleban
MOSCOW, February 1 (Itar-Tass) - Russia wants Pakistan to use its influence with Afghanistan's ruling Taleban militia to stop action undermining stability and security in the region,

Talks with Taliban, crucial to security: MP
Tehran, Jan 31 - IRNA - Iran should enter into negotiations with the Taliban if it is desirous of maintaining and improving the security of its eastern borders, said Mohammad

Afghans celebrate heaviest snowfall in 3 years
Times of India
KABUL, Afghanistan: Residents in this beleaguered capital celebrated the heaviest snowfall in three years on Wednesday and long-suffering farmers won some respite during the worst drought in 30 years.

Afghan refugees need urgent help, Russia responds
DUSHANBE, January 31 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia has responded to the call for providing assistance to the Afghan refugees who will most likely have to spend the winter on the islands

Aid groups care for fugitives of Afghanistan hostilities
DUSHANBE, February 1 (Itar-Tass) - International aid groups are active in relief of Afghanistan's refugees who are staying in camps along the Tajik-Afghan border.

Taleban outlaws poppy
Prices shot up after the Taleban enforced a ban
By Kate Clark in Kabul - BBC
The Taleban have said opium poppy cultivation will never be allowed in Afghanistan again. In the summer, they ordered a complete ban on poppy production.

Afghans' repatriation target to be fixed soon
By Tariq Butt - The News Int.
ISLAMABAD: The Tripartite Repatriation Commission (TRC) may meet in the next few weeks to set a target for return of Afghan refugees to their homeland during the current year

Mission to Kabul
The Nation Editorial 02/01/01
THE visit by Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider to Kabul comes at a time when Afghanistan is facing the impact of harsh sanctions. Among other things, the sanctions are forcing

Peshawar protesters set cinema on fire
By Rahimullah Yusufzai - The News Int.
PESHAWAR : More demonstrations were staged in Peshawar on Wednesday to protest the blasphemous letter published in The Frontier Post while in an apparently unrelated