Soviet troops less visible in Afghanistan

Press, 9 April 1980, Page 5

Soviet troops less visible in Afghanistan

By

HERVE MERLIAE

in Kabul, Afghanistan

The Soviets have sharply reduced their military presence in the Afghan capital, but they have left behind a terrorised population. Soviet army troops are not as evident as before, except around the key, Kabul River bridges. On the main streets, where a dozen armoured cars used to stand at 50m intervals after the antiGovernment strike and riots in February, there now are only three or four vehicles., /' Kabul residents, who used to be known for the exuberant welcome they gave foreigners, are now afraid the secret police will think they are in league with enemies of the state. Old friendships have faded away since the Kremlin poured tens of thousands of troops into this neighbouring central Asian country in late December. Journalists come under particular suspicion, I had to change my hotel every two or three days to avoid being harassed by the armed Afghan civilians who lurk everywhere. For a while, my problem was solved because Western friends let me stay with them and even lent me their car. But soon, that had to stop. Diplomats in Western embassies were warning their nationals hey could get into trouble for helping reporters. In the capital, Afghan soldiers are in charge of security. At night, after

the curfew takes effect, shooting is heard in the streets. Some think it is rival factions settling accounts, others speculate there are clashes between the army and the rebels. Most likely it is a little of both. The armed militiamen, faithful members of the ruling Marxist party, are mostly in their 20s and are hard to distinguish from ordinary bystanders. On one occasion, 1 was walking through the bazaar when an Afghan I knew to be an ordinary hotel keeper in Kabul stopped me and accused me of taking photos through the scarf that covered my camera. Visibly angry, he pulled out a revolver and made me follow him. After a lot of arguing, the man I had believed was an ordinary hotel keeper let me go. I don’t know what persuaded him. Perhaps it was the fact that in the present anti-Soviet climate. a Marxist party member does not feel too safe making an arrest before the eyes of hundreds of hostile people. The atmosphere is tense. It is markedly different in other Afghan cities. In Kandahar, 455 km southwest of Kabul, and Herat, 640 km to the west, the people are their old hospitable selves and there are few Russians to be seen. The Russians are still around in force, however. . Twenty-four kilometres south of Herat, in western Afghanistan, Soviet : soldiers are building wooden barracks. A few kilometres further on, a huge portrait of Lenin graces the entrance to a Soviet encampment.