Afghans flee battles

Press, 9 June 1980, Page 8

Afghans flee battles

NZPA-Reuter ‘ New Delhi Hundreds of Afghans have abandoned their homes to escape a fierce battle raging near Kabul between Soviet troops and Muslim insurgents, travellers arriving at New Delhi from the Afghan capital said yesterday. An Afghan traveller confirmed earlier reports of Soviet forces massing outside Kabul to prevent an offensive by rebels reported to be barely 20kms from the city. The traveller said fighting was heaviest in Charikar and Qarabagh, towns in Parwan province north of Kabul. An ■ Indian businessman said he had heard from reliable sources that Soviet troops had ringed villages outside Kabul to search for rebels fighting the Sovietbacked Afghan Government. Villagers were bringing their cattle to Kabul in trucks.

One Afghan traveller said fighting continued on Saturday on the Paghman mountain range west of Kabul and local residents had told him many civilians had died. An Afghan helicopter pilot told an Indian settler he was flying an average of almost 10 dead Soviet soldiers a day into Kabul from nearby areas.