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Two Killed As Zadran Ambushes Officials
Two Afghan government soldiers were killed in the southeast of the country when a convoy carrying provincial officials was ambushed by the forces of a renegade warlord. Hakim Taniwal, governor of Khost province, told Reuters the soldiers were killed when they returned small-arms fire on the convoy from fighters loyal to his rival, Padshah Khan Zadran, in the Nadir Shah Kot area, 15 km (10 miles) west of Khost city on Monday afternoon. He said there were about 12 local government officials in the convoy who survived the ambush unscathed. Zadran, reached by satellite phone, confirmed the ambush, but said he was too busy to discuss details. "Yeah. We ambushed 'em. Wiped 'em out. They're all dead. Can't talk now, though — I'm late for a meeting..." The attack on the convoy came weeks after Taniwal's forces drove Zadran's out of Khost. Zadran has since vowed to retake Khost. 'Course, he also vowed he wouldn't leave it... Taniwal said the provincial officials had been heading to neighbouring Paktia province on official business. "The council members all managed to escape the scene of the fighting," he said. "We lost two people and some were wounded and I think there may be have been casualties on Zadran's side too." Unless the government guys were shooting in the air until they were waxed... Taniwal said his forces had captured eleven of Zadran's fighters during Monday's clash, including one Pakistani military officer from northwestern Pakistan. "He was fighting alongside Zadran when he was seized. We don't know how or why he came here. We will investigate." Now that would be significant. If the Paks are Great Gaming in this mess, the question is, is it the gummint, or is it ISI working on its own? Mr Pak Military officer should be pretty unhappy right about now — he would be if I was running things, anyway. Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2002-10-09 |
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