AHMAD SHAH MAS’OOD ESCAPE SUICIDE ASSASSINATION- DEVELOPMENT
By Safa Haeri, IPS Editor
PARIS 9 Sept. (IPS) Ahmad Shah Mas’ood, Afghan most charismatic and veteran
war commander was transported Sunday evening to Tajikistan capital of Doshanbeh,
after he escaped a well planned assassination attempt on his life, Afghan
sources told Iran Press Service.
Mr. Mas’ood was slightly wounded in the legs and arms in a suicide explosion in his well-guarded office in Khajeh Baha’eddin, in the northern Takkhar Province, Mr. Latif Pedram, a prominent Paris-based Afghan intellectual said, imputing the operation to both Pakistan army’s Intelligence (ISI) and Saudi anti-American crusader Ossama bin Laden.
The explosion took place before noon, during an interview granted to Arab journalists, sources said, adding that the unidentified journalists had been arrested for investigation.
The suicide bomber and a body guard were killed three others, including Mas’ood’s representative in India, Mas’ood Khalili were injured, according to reports coming from the area.
According to Mr. Pedram and other Afghan sources, the terrorists are Afghan and Arabs "mujahedeen" (holly warriors) linked to an Islamic centre in London financed by the Saudi dissident and keeping close contacts with Pakistan Embassy in the British Capital.
The highly sophisticated explosive was placed inside a photo camera carried by the suicide terrorist and his colleagues, who got their Afghan visas from the Pakistan Embassy in London, informed Afghan sources said.
Mr. Pedram said the terrorists knew the region very well and had spent some days in Jabal Saraj, near Mr. Mas’ood base, before being cleared for a meeting, probably to discuss ways of getting more support for the anti-Taleban Northern Alliance.
"This was a very well-planned operation, worked out in collaboration between Bin Laden and Pakistan’s notorious SIS, the Taleban’s main military and political backer, aimed at eliminating Mas’ood and finishing the anti-Taleban struggle at once", Mr. Pedram commented.
"Both Taleban and Pakistan are well aware that without Mas’ood, the resistance to the Taleban would not last much. That’s why Islamabad, hand in hand with Ossama, decided to kill him", he further added.
Khajeh Baha’eddin is a small area, living no way for the terrorist to escape, unless helped by outside assistance, another Afghan source said, referring to Pakistan.
That the assassination of Mr. Mas’ood took place almost 12 hours after the Taleban launched their heaviest attack on his forces in Bagram may not be a mere coincidence.
The old and unused Bagram airport, situated strategically 50 Kilometres north of Kabol and controlled by Ahmad Shah Mas’ood forces came under heavy rocket and canon bombardment, but Alliance sources said the attack was repulsed.
Bagram was bombarded as another anti-Taleban front was opened in Ghor Province by Esma’il Khan, the former Governor of the western Province of Heart, near Iranian borders.
Iran, Tajikstan and Russia supports the anti-Taleban forces, led by Ahmad Shah Mas’ood.
Afghan and military sources said the Taleban have geared to finish with Mr. Mas’ood before winter, when fighting is made more difficult because of heavy snow and cold weather in the one hand and reinforce its position at the United Nation.
Despite the fact that the Taleban occupy more than 90 per cent of the Afghan territory, but Afghanistan’s seat at the UN is still occupied by the ousted Islamic Government of Afghanistan led by former president Borhaneddin Rabbani.
Only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirate have so far recognised the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. ENDS MASOOD ASSASSINATION 9901