ISLAMABAD, Oct 27, Reuter: The leader of the main Afghan Guerrilla alliance said on Thursday the Soviet Union had recently deployed more weapons in Afghanistan while withdrawing its forces under U.N. mediated accords.
“It has created a dangerous military situation,” alliance Chairman Burhanuddin Rabbani told. a news conference.
He said he had confirmed information that more Tu-16 and other high-altitude bombers had reached Shindand, Bagram and Kabul air bases, and the northern airport of Mazar-I-Sharif had been enlarged.
Long-range artillery had also been deployed at Nazar-I-Sharif and Kunduz in the north and Herat in the West, and New Landmines had been scattered along routes used by Afghan Refugees West of Herat, he said.
Moscow has withdrawn half of more than 100,000 troops in Afghanistan since May 15, under the accords signed last April in Geneva, The pullout is due to be completed by February 15 next year.
Rabbani disagreed with a reporter’s suggestion that the new deployments could be meant to protect the withdrawing troops from attacks by the western backed guerrillas.
“I have said many times we will not disturb the withdrawing Russians, and might even facilitate a speedier withdrawal,” he said!
He branded as lies recent official Afghan radio broadcasts that several American, Pakistan and Egyptian military advisers to the guerillas were killed’ by security forces or in other incidents in Afghanistan.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 4, 1988