Organization: The American University - University Computing Center
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 11:24:13 EST
From: <OMARS@auvm.american.edu>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.afghanistan
Subject: Khales running for president


From: clarinews@clarinet.com (ANWAR IQBAL)
Date: 12 Dec 92 19:25:21 GMT



        ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (UPI) -- A leader of a fundamentalist Muslim party
entered the race for the Afghan presidency Saturday claiming the country
was ``on the verge of disaster'' and saying President Burhanuddin
Rabbani's rule should not be extended.
        Maulavi Yunus Khalis, a factional leader in the Hezb-i-Islami party,
announced his candidacy in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad,
according to the party-affiliated Afghan Islamic Press news agency.
        The announcement came after Rabbani completed his interim tenure of
four months as well as a 45-day extension.
        The Afghan leadership council, which groups factional leaders of the
former Muslim fundamentalist rebels or mujahideen, had said Rabbani
would get no further extension after extending his tenure in October.
        Rabbani was to convene a meeting of prominent Afghan leaders, tribal
chiefs, scholars and other notables within his 45-day extension, but
failed to do so.
        Khalis, announcing his candidacy, said, ``Rabbani failed to establish
an Islamic government in Afghanistan. He failed to stop bloodshed and
provide security to the people of Kabul. He deserves no further
extension.''
        Khalis had earlier promised not to contest, but said he was ``forced
to change my mind because of the situation in Afghanistan. The country
is on the verge of a total disaster. It needs a sincere leadership to
save the sacrifices of 1.7 million martyrs from being wasted.''
        More than 1.5 million people were killed in Afghanistan during 14
years of war between Soviet-backed communists and Islamic guerrillas,
which began with the Soviet occupation of Kabul in 1979.
        The Soviets withdrew in 1989 and communist President Najibullah
managed to hang onto power until early this year, when his government
collapsed in the face of Muslim rebel advances. After the ouster of
communist leaders, however, the various rebel factions began fighting
between themselves for power.
        Sources said Saturday that a powerful faction of Hezb-i-Islami would
support Khalis in his bid for the presidency. That faction is led by
Gulbadin Hekmatyar, the most prominent fundamentalist leader in
Afghanistan.
        The sources said Hekmatyar realized he did not have enough support
among the mujahideen factions to make his own bid for presidency. He
believed Khalis would be better than Rabbani, with whom Hekmatyar fought
for the capture of Kabul.
        He also preferred Khalis to another candidate, Pirsyed Ahmad Gailani
of the national Islamic front of Afghanistan. Gailani has strong links
with the West and Western allies among the Muslim countries. His Western
connections upset Hekmatyar, who wants an Iranian-style Islamic
government in Kabul.
        But sources close to his group said Hekmatyar was in touch with every
faction including Gailani's. They claimed he maintained contacts even
with the ex-communist militia chief Gen. Rasheed Dostum.
        Hekmatyar blames Dostum and his militia, created by Najibullah, for
killing thousands of mujahideen during the war. He also demands total
withdrawal of all militia and former communist forces in Kabul as a
condition for peace with the present rulers of Afghanistan.
        Although Rabbani still rules Kabul, observers say, recent
developments in Afghanistan have weakened his position.
        Last week, troops loyal to his defense minister -- Ahmad Shah Masoud --
fought with the Dostum militia.
        The militia had abandoned Najibullah and allied with Masoud in
toppling the communist regime in Kabul in April this year. The militia
had also fought with the government troops to defend Kabul during
Hekmatyar's attacks on the city.
Newsgroups: soc.relgion.islam,soc.culture.afghanistan,soc.culture.indian,soc.culture.pakistan,soc.culture.arabic,soc.culture.iranian