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Govt launches offensive

in western Afghanistan

KABUL: Government troops launched a major offensive in western Afghanistan to retake the strategic city of Herat from rival Taliban, a senior government commander said on Saturday.

In a sweep through Ghor province, which borders Herat, government troops say they overran several Taliban bases, Gen. Mohammad Asif said.

According to Asif, 49 Taliban fighters were captured in Friday's fighting along with a substantial amount of weaponry and ammunition.

From the radio reports we are receiving, the fighting is still continuing, Asif said. We captured four ammunition depots from the Taliban.

The Taliban, many of whom are former Islamic students, have become one of the strongest forces in Afghanistan in less than two years. They have taken control of roughly half of the country with hardly a fight from their enemies.

Analysts in the Afghan capital say western Afghanistan has become a test of strength for both the government and the Taliban, who took Herat last year without firing a shot.

The loss of that city was a big psychological blow for President Burhanuddin Rabbani's government.

Many believe the government wants to avenge that loss, before launching an all out assault on Taliban soldiers deployed just south of the capital.

A few key victories in western Afghanistan, they say, would embolden government troops to try to push their Taliban enemies out of rocket range of the capital.

For several months there has been a deadly stalemate on the southern outskirts of Kabul. Both Taliban and government troops daily lob rockets at each other.

Often caught in the cross fire are the civilians who have been terrorised by four years of bloody fighting between rival Islamic factions seeking to rule Afghanistan.

While Afghanistan's generals and field commanders plot military strategy, Kabul's 750,000 residents nervously wait for a fresh outbreak of heavy fighting.

No one is saying when the offensive near Kabul will begin, but government troops are preparing, a Defence Ministry spokesman said.

We have to protect the people of Kabul - said spokesman Amrullah, who goes only by one name.

That is our duty and if the Taliban won't stop rocketing the city then we will force them out.-APP