September 26, 2001

Open Letter to Americans of Good Will

How they killed the Afghan lion The Times UK

Special message from the Feminist Majority on the Taliban, Osama Bin Ladin,  and Afghan Women

Only pawns in the game By Pepe Escobar Asia Times

 


Ex-king seeks Afghan revival
Wednesday, 26 September, 2001, 12:28 GMT 13:28 UK BBC News
The former king is concerned by the plight of his people
The former king of Afghanistan has said he would be prepared to return to his country to end "30 years of cruelty".
"I could not get rid of the images. I wish that such a thing would never happen in any country in the world"

Afghans want fall of Taliban
Khalid Duran - Washington Times opinion 9/26/01
Two days before the suicide missions in the United States, another suicide commando achieved an important "victory" for Osama bin Laden, this time in Afghanistan. The country's most successful leader of the freedom

Bush urges Afghans to help
By Bill Sammon
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
President Bush yesterday called on the citizens of Afghanistan to help the United States oust the Taliban, which he described as foreign oppressors, as the administration began to draw distinctions

'Guests' unwelcome to many Afghans
By Kathy Gannon - Washington Times
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan ¯ Americans aren't the only ones who would like to see Osama bin Laden and his thousands of militant Arab followers leave Afghanistan. So would many Afghans

Life plods on in opposition Afghanistan - bbc
The BBC's Central Asia correspondent Catherine Davis was among those who initially went to Afghanistan to cover the funeral of opposition leader Ahmed Shah Masood, but she soon found the trip overtaken by other events.

Afghan opposition courts former king
By Frances Harrison in Delhi - BBC News
A delegation from Afghanistan's Northern Alliance opposition is on its way to Rome to meet former Afghan king Zahir Shah to discuss the formation of a future government.

State Department 'regrets' VOA airing interview of Taliban leader
WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (AFP) - The State Department said Wednesday it regretted a decision by Voice of America, the US-funded international broadcaster, to defy its opposition and air a report

Pakistan refuses to open borders
BBC News
Pakistan has said it will not open its border with Afghanistan to new refugees despite a plea by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Straw backs extraditing Islamists, Arab League wants "surgical operation"
CAIRO, Sept 26 (AFP) - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said here Wednesday he supports extradition of Islamists wanted by countries like Egypt, as the Arab League called for a "surgical operation"

Besieged Taliban backers torch US embassy in Kabul
ISLAMABAD, Sept 26 (AFP) - Thousands of pro-Taliban demonstrators set fire to the abandoned US embassy in Kabul Wednesday, as the ruling militia's grip on besieged and isolated Afghanistan appeared increasingly shaky.

Pakistan Warns U.S., Allies
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Kyodo) - Pakistan is warning the United States and its allies in the anti-terrorism coalition against taking sides in the Afghanistan conflict following Russian and Western contacts

Pakistan says will not be safe haven for bin Laden
ISLAMABAD, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Pakistan said on Wednesday that it would not allow the country to become a safe have for Osama bin Laden or his associates if they try to flee Afghanistan in the face of U.S. attacks.

Taliban on the defensive as US backs away from mass strikes
ISLAMABAD, Sept 26 (AFP) - The Taliban's grip on Afghanistan appeared increasingly shaky Wednesday as an opposition offensive in the north gained momentum and reports suggested

Bush appeals to Afghans in war on terror, but coy on ousting Taliban
WASHINGTON, Sept 26 (AFP) - The United States was Wednesday rejoicing in the Afghan Taliban's growing diplomatic isolation, one day after President George W. Bush hinted that Afghans

Afghan Taliban Says Retakes Northern District
Wednesday September 26 7:19 AM ET
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban said Wednesday its forces had recaptured a northern district lost to opposition forces at the weekend.

Russian memo lists bin Laden camps in Afghanistan
By Tom Heneghan
ISLAMABAD, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden had at least 55 bases or offices in Afghanistan earlier this year with over 13,000 men, ranging from Arabs and Pakistanis

Pakistan Wants to Retain 'Window' to Taliban
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan said Tuesday it would retain diplomatic ties with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, the only country in the world still to do so, in order to give them a window to the outside world.

Iran will not provide "any help" to US or its allies
TEHRAN, Sept 26 (AFP) - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday said Tehran would not "provide any help to America or its allies in their attack" against Afghanistan, state radio reported.

UN refugee agency seeks $252 mln to aid Afghans
GENEVA, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The United Nation's refugee agency on Wednesday called for $252 million in emergency funding for a campaign to aid Afghan refugees fleeing the threat of U.S.-led military

Quarreling Afghan tribes look to exiled king
By Kathy Gannon
QUETTA, Pakistan (Kyodo) Among the turbaned men sitting cross-legged on a red carpet and fingering prayer beads, the consensus was evident yesterday: The only hope for their shattered nation

Anti-Taleban forces gear up -  BBC
The political leader of Afghanistan's opposition Northern Alliance, Burhanuddin Rabbani, has urged his troops to prepare themselves for action. Mr Rabbani was speaking in northern Afghanistan at

Taliban Corralling Men, Afghanistan Refugees Say
Asia: Families flee to opposition territory, where they describe predawn roundups of combat-age neighbors.
By ROBYN DIXON  - Los Angeles Times Staff Writer - September 25 2001
DENOU, Afghanistan -- It was 4 o'clock on Sunday morning when Taliban soldiers pulled up at Wahidullo's apartment block in northern Kabul with 50 Datsun pickup trucks and started rounding up young Tajik men.

Taliban in key defeat as rebels turn to ex-king
By Ahmed Rashid in Lahore (Filed: 25/09/2001)
IN THE first major military move against the Taliban since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, the opposition United Front yesterday captured a key strategic town

Saudi Arabia accused the Taleban of "criminal acts"
Saudi Arabia has cut off diplomatic ties with the Taleban, further isolating the Afghan regime.
The Taleban Government is still continuing to use its land to harbour, arm and encourage... criminals in carrying out terrorist attacks Saudi statement

Hawks gang up against Powel
By Toby Harnden in Washington
news.telegraph.co.uk - Wednesday 26 September 2001
THE political consensus over the September 11 attacks has begun to fracture in Washington with mounting criticism of Colin Powell by prominent conservative hawks.

Taliban press gangs in night raids
By IAN TRAYNOR
DENAU, UZBEKISTAN
Wednesday 26 September 2001
The Age
The Taliban press gang arrived in utilities in the small hours of Sunday morning, striking terror into every family in a block of flats in north Kabul.

Masood's assassins plotted in Britain
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26 2001
The Times UK
FROM ANTHONY LOYD IN KHAWJA BAHAUDDIN, NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN
THE black flags are still raised in Khawja Bahauddin, more than two weeks after the assassination of Ahmed Shah Masood, the Northern Alliance’s commander.
Pictures of his face adorn every vehicle

Teen tells of terrifying journey from Afghanistan
The New Zealand Herald
26.09.2001
Sayeed Taheer escaped Afghan violence but faced death on his journey to New Zealand, write ANGELA GREGORY and SCOTT MacLEOD.
After Sayeed Taheer's younger