Soviets attack rebel centres

Press, 4 March 1980, Page 8

Soviets attack rebel centres

’NZPA-Reuter Islamabad i Soviet combat troops and (Afghan Army units have attabked rebel strongholds in (Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province in what may be the •Han expect spr.ng ’offensive, according to re (ports from . the insurgents I reaching Pakistan. I The province. bol^, eri "§ (Pakistan, was the cra^*? , the rebellion against Afgnanistan’s Soviet-backed } tilers in which deeply religious tribesmen in the valleys of Nauristan took up arms in the closing months of 19/8. A spokesman foi the Islamic Alliance for the Llber ' ation of Afghanistan, the! new union of the six mam insurgent groups, ald , sco Jfj of armoured vehicles, backed bv rocket-firing helicopters and fighter-bombers moved north from Dagshagi on rndav to attack insurgent centres near Kunar’s provincial capital and main garrison, Chagasarei. At the same time Soviet troops were landed from

I what were described ~ J; big helicopters at As m ? er J’ former « lin northern Kunar been in the hands 0 rebels since August ■ t * le News of the which was usually reliable t /“A came after a ment that a Soviet tin? 5 ' aircraft had intrude™ i’?’ Pakistani airspace near town of Chitral, about 80km north-east of Asmat WKni The Soviet aircraft , twm-engme turbo-prop, ’ 1 reported to have been Inta; cepted by Pakistani planes which fired warnin’ shots and escorted it baS £ the Afghan border. ' to Pakistan's Pfesid “ (General Zia-Ul-Haq) k,] ordered that the p ia ne not to be harmed, a Forej»n Ministry spokesman said a protest was made to M O s cow. ‘ It was the first report of a Soviet military aircraft in. trading into Pakistan’s air. space since the intervention in Afghanistan,