Is Masood dead?

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

UNITED NATIONS, SEPT. 10. The United States believes that the Afghan Opposition leader, Mr. Ahmad Shah Masood, has died in an explosion on Sunday. ``We believe he died,'' is the general refrain.

Reports here said that Mr.Masood - in control of about 5 per cent of Afghanistan - was to be interviewed by two ``Arab'' journalists in his stronghold, and that the camera of one of the interviewers blew up killing the journalist and Mr. Masood.

But another version said Mr. Masood was badly injured and had been taken to hospital in Tajikistan. The Taliban has denied any hand in the explosion.

The conflicting versions come at a time when reports have surfaced of the U.N. sponsoring a three-day meeting in Geneva involving many of the non-warring groups of Afghanistan and diplomats from Iran, Italy, Germany and the U.S. attending as observers.

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