New Delhi, India — Official Afghan radio Saturday claimed government forces killed 200 Pakistani militiamen and “completely routed” Islamic guerrillas in fighting in eastern Afghanistan.
They said arms captured in the battle were displayed Friday.
It said government troops launched operations in various areas of the Khost district near the Pakistan border, about 100 miles southeast of Kabul.
The Islamic rebels “were completely routed and are so badly beaten that they will not be able to disturb the peace of the people again,” said the state-run radio.
“In this fighting 200 Pakistani militiamen were also killed and the rest escaped to the safety of their barracks,” it said.
There was no way to immediately verify the claim, but Afghan rebels fighting in the Khost area have said similar previous claims were untrue.
The rebels have reported heavy losses on both sides in the fighting in Khost district, but said the Afghan offensive, supported by Soviet troops, failed to cut guerrilla supply lines from Pakistan.
Pakistan has flatly denied previous Afghan charges that its militia, an internal security force for tribal areas, was involved in the Afghan fighting.
The broadcast claimed that large quantities of arms and ammunition, including 1.7 million rounds of ammunition, 50 rocket launchers with 1,000 rockets, 110 mortars, and 16,000 mines, were either captured or destroyed.
The rebels are fighting to oust the communist Afghan government installed by a Soviet invasion in 1979.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 6, 1985
