Afghan rebels shoot down more aircraft

Press, 18 December 1986, Page 11

Afghan rebels shoot down more aircraft

NZPA-Reuter Washington

Afghan rebels have been shooting down Soviet and Afghan Government aircraft at the rate of one a day over the last three months, said a senior American State Department official yesterday. “That represents an unprecedented rate of aircraft losses, a significant increase over any comparable period in the history of the war,” said the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Robert Peck. At a news conference marking the seventh anni-

versary this month of Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan, Mr Peck refused to say if the increased aircraft losses were related to the use of American Stinger antiaircraft missiles by the rebels.

Press reports have said that the shoulder-fired weapons have been supplied to the resistance forces.

“Obviously, the resistance capabilities have increased,” Mr Peck said.

Losses of more than 1000 aircraft — both helicopters and fixed-wing — in seven years of war had

forced Soviet and Afghan pilots to change their tactics, he said. They were now flying higher, releasing their munitions less effectively and apparently avoiding certain areas. A State Department report said the level of Soviet combat forces in Afghanistan now was roughly the same as last year, about 118,000 troops. The report said the Soviet Union suffered at least 3000 casualties this year, bringing its total casualties since 1979 to at least 30,000, including more than 10,000 troops killed.