Residents flee Kabul in fear of attack—reports

Press, 12 April 1989, Page 13

Residents flee Kabul in fear of attack —reports

NZPA-Reuter Kabul Thousands of Kabul residents, fearing an imminent offensive by Muslim rebels, have left the capital for the safety of provincial towns and neighbouring countries, according to diplomats. At least 9000 people had sold their belongings and left the city in the last four days, they said. A Government spokesman, Mohammad Amani, described the figure as highly exaggerated, saying it was usual for Kabul residents to leave for other provinces at this time of the year to help their relatives cultivate land.

“Many people in Kabul have land and they head north in springtime to take up farming,” Mr Amani said.

The diplomats said those leaving had cited possible looting by the Mujahideen rebels and rocketing and shelling in the event of a major attack as their reasons.

Although the majority had left for the provinces, some had headed for

neighbouring countries in the hope of obtaining visas to go to the West, they said. India is a popular destination for well-off Kabul residents seeking a peaceful life after 10 years of war and destruction. Afghans need visas to fly there. Those without hard cash cross the borders into Iran and Pakistan, which have already provided refuge to more than 5 million refugees from Afghanistan. The diplomats said that among those wishing to go to the West were doctors, engineers and business people. The exodus has led to a sharp rise in the value of Western currencies against the afghani. The United States dollar now fetches 250 afghanis compared to 220 last month.

Recent fighting around the eastern rebel-besieged city of Jalalabad has sent up to 50,000 refugees pouring into Pakistan. The Mujahideen guerrillas are

fighting to overthrow the pro-Soviet Government of President Najibullah. They launched an offensive against Jalalabad on March 5 in the hope of capturing it as a base for a provisional government they set up in February.

Government forces repulsed the attack but the city is still under heavy artillery and rocket bombardment from the rebels, who are armed and financed by the West and Arab countries.

Yesterday, rebel sources said an Arab journalist had been killed in fighting between Afghan troops and rebels around the city. They said the man, identified only as Abid, aged 35, from Qatar, stepped on a landmine when rebels launched a new assault. The sources said two Saudi volunteers who went into Afghanistan with Abid were also killed by the mine. All three were buried near the north-west Pakistani town of Peshawar.