Changing sides in Afghanistan

Press, 28 September 1984, Page 21

Changing sides in Afghanistan

Although Kabul radio is pouring out a stream of almost daily reports about the surrender of guerrilla groups to the forces of the Karmal Government, their credibility is weakened by an indignant denial from one of the few guerrilla leaders it has actually named, writes Tony Hyman from London.

Muhammad Umar Ahmadi, local resistance conwnder in Kapisa (north-east of Kabul), was actually

on a visit to Peshawar, Pakistan, when Kabul claimed that he and 10 followers had gone over to Karmal’s side. There cannot be much doubt that some local resistance leaders with their guerrilla bands have swapped sides,- often in return for large sums of money offered as rewards. In other cases, however, alleged resistance turncoats, iproduced at public gatherings inCKabul, have been activists of the ruling Com-

munist Party posing as former querrillas. Over all, the present situation seems to be fluid as far as loyalties are concerned. While some guerrillas have gone over to Karmal, there has also been movement the other way. One athenticated case is that of the local government militia commander in Herat province, Ghulam Khateeb, defecting to the Resistance side last month, bringing

with him 100 men, all their weapons, and two jeeps. Another case in the past month has been that of the senior militia officer, Hassan Karo Khel, who had been responsible for the security of the south-eastern sector of Kabul city. An opposition newsletter reports that he crossed over to the resistance, together with the militia units under his control, at the end of August. Copyright — London Observer Service.