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DASHTI QALA (Afghanistan)
— Reports have been confirmed that the northern Afghanistan
town of Taleqan was forced to witness a gruesome display sponsored by
the ruling Taliban government 10 days ago.
Citizens were forced into the main
square, where the Taliban forces began parading three dogs, each with
its head shaved and stenciled with the names of the men the movement
most despises: Burhunnadin Rabbani, the ousted Afghan president, Zahir
Shah, the exiled king, and George W. Bush, President of the United
States.
The dogs were then doused with gasoline
and set on fire. According to The Daily Telegraph and National
Post, the story was confirmed by three witnesses who had escaped
the scene and found refuge in a camp of the Northern Alliance, the
Taliban's internal opposition.
One of the escapees, Noor Muhammad, a
52-year-old farmer from a nearby village, said that afterward the
Taliban began looking for young men to recruit. When only few
could be found, the soldiers looted and burned the village, arguing that
villagers should already have sold their possessions and given the money
to Islam. This occurred last Friday at midday prayers.
"They said we should fight the
Americans who want to take away Islam," Noor Muhammad said.
"Then they began burning the houses where they couldn't find young
men. They must have burned down 10 or 20 of the 200 houses in the
village."
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Noor Muhammad and his family waited
until nightfall and then fled with Muhammad Qul, 55, and Abdul Karim,
48, and their families.
"We knew some sympathizers of the
Northern Alliance," he said. "They guided us by
moonlight between the Taliban and the minefields."
Faced with possible air strikes from
U.S. forces and the United Nations Allies, the fundamentalist rulers of
Afghanistan have lashed out with a brutal, vindictive campaign aimed
against those suspected of disloyalty. The demonstration in
Taleqan was intended as a warning to the current opposition.
Afghanistan refugees who have escaped
to camps in the northern territory are anxiously awaiting military
action from the Allies. Said one refugee, 80-year-old Muhammad
Nazar, "They wanted our sons to fight against the Americans,"
he said. "But when are the Americans going to strike back?
"When are you going to bomb the
Taliban? We are waiting and waiting."
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