Fierce fighting in north of Kabul

ISLAMABAD, JULY 1. At least 30 civilians were killed and scores injured as fierce fighting broke between the Taliban and the Opposition forces today in north of Kabul forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.

Ignoring calls from the U.N. and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to halt hostilities, Afghanistan's ruling Taliban and Opposition Northern Alliance launched first summer attacks against each other north of capital Kabul, reports reaching here said today. They also accused each other of firing the first shot. The Taliban Ambassador here, Maulvi Sayed Mohammad Haqqani, confirmed reports of fighting, saying the Taliban repulsed two attacks in the outskirts of Bagram air base, some 50 km north of Kabul.

Mr. Haqqani said the Opposition forces also launched two attacks north of Kabul late yesterday which were repulsed. There was no independent confirmation. Reports reaching here suggest the Taliban carried out two sorties in the Opposition-held positions near Bagram. The Opposition claims several Taliban fighters were killed in the first wave of fighting in the wee hours of today.

The recent OIC Foreign Ministers conference in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur asked the rival Afghan factions to observe ceasefire and solve the conflict through talks. Fearing the summer offensive by the Taliban, the U.N. Secretary-General's special envoy on Afghanistan, Mr. Francesc Vendrell, warned the militia of more sanctions if they launched major offensive against the rivals.

Both the sides recently sent reinforcements to their frontlines for possible eruption of the summer fighting. The Taliban and the Opposition failed to agree on ceasefire during their talks in the Saudi city of Jeddah two months ago.

- PTI

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