਍਀㰀℀ⴀⴀ 猀愀瘀攀搀 昀爀漀洀 甀爀氀㴀⠀　　㜀㐀⤀栀琀琀瀀㨀⼀⼀眀眀眀⸀眀愀猀栀椀渀最琀漀渀瀀漀猀琀⸀挀漀洀⼀愀挀㈀⼀眀瀀ⴀ搀礀渀⼀䄀㄀　㠀㤀㐀ⴀ㈀　　㄀匀攀瀀㈀㈀㼀氀愀渀最甀愀最攀㴀瀀爀椀渀琀攀爀 ⴀⴀ㸀ഀ washingtonpost.com: In the Taliban's Hands, a Smorgasbord of Arms਍਀㰀䴀䔀吀䄀 栀琀琀瀀ⴀ攀焀甀椀瘀㴀䌀漀渀琀攀渀琀ⴀ吀礀瀀攀 挀漀渀琀攀渀琀㴀∀琀攀砀琀⼀栀琀洀氀㬀 挀栀愀爀猀攀琀㴀甀渀椀挀漀搀攀∀㸀ഀ ਍਀ഀ ਍਀㰀䈀伀䐀夀㸀ഀ

In the Taliban's Hands, a Smorgasbord of Arms ਍਀㰀䈀刀㸀ഀ

By Molly Moore
Washington Post Foreign Service
Sunday, ਍਀匀攀瀀琀攀洀戀攀爀 ㈀㌀Ⰰ ㈀　　㄀㬀 倀愀最攀 䄀㌀㄀ 㰀⼀䘀伀一吀㸀ഀ

਍਀㰀倀㸀䤀匀䰀䄀䴀䄀䈀䄀䐀Ⰰ 倀愀欀椀猀琀愀渀Ⰰ 匀攀瀀琀⸀ ㈀㈀ ጀ†䰀愀猀琀 洀漀渀琀栀Ⰰ 䄀昀最栀愀渀椀猀琀愀渀✀猀 爀甀氀椀渀最 吀愀氀椀戀愀渀 ഀ militia paraded samples of its military hardware through the streets of Kabul, ਍਀琀栀攀 挀漀甀渀琀爀礀✀猀 眀愀爀ⴀ戀愀琀琀攀爀攀搀 挀愀瀀椀琀愀氀⸀ 吀甀爀戀愀渀攀搀 猀漀氀搀椀攀爀猀 琀漀琀攀搀 唀⸀匀⸀ⴀ洀愀搀攀 匀琀椀渀最攀爀 ഀ missiles. A truck carried a Scud missile mounted on its bed. Soviet-made fighter ਍਀樀攀琀猀 爀漀愀爀攀搀 漀瘀攀爀栀攀愀搀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ

In the seven years since former guerrillas who fought the Soviets made common ਍਀挀愀甀猀攀 眀椀琀栀 礀漀甀渀最攀爀Ⰰ 爀愀搀椀挀愀氀椀稀攀搀 䤀猀氀愀洀椀挀 猀琀甀搀攀渀琀猀 琀漀 昀漀爀洀 琀栀攀 吀愀氀椀戀愀渀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 䴀甀猀氀椀洀 ഀ militia has seized most of Afghanistan. Along the way, it has amassed one of the ਍਀洀漀猀琀 攀挀氀攀挀琀椀挀Ⰰ 爀愀洀猀栀愀挀欀氀攀 洀椀氀椀琀愀爀礀 愀爀猀攀渀愀氀猀 漀昀 愀渀礀 挀漀甀渀琀爀礀 椀渀 琀栀攀 眀漀爀氀搀Ⰰ ഀ according to intelligence reports and international arms surveys.

਍਀㰀倀㸀吀栀攀爀攀 愀爀攀 昀攀眀 渀愀琀椀漀渀猀 椀渀 洀漀搀攀爀渀 琀椀洀攀猀 椀渀 眀栀椀挀栀 琀栀攀 洀椀氀椀琀愀爀礀 栀愀爀搀眀愀爀攀 栀愀猀 ഀ changed hands more often than in Afghanistan. Because the country has been ਍਀椀渀瘀漀氀瘀攀搀 椀渀 猀甀挀栀 愀 挀漀洀瀀氀攀砀 眀攀戀 漀昀 眀愀爀猀 漀瘀攀爀 琀栀攀 瀀愀猀琀 琀眀漀 搀攀挀愀搀攀猀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 ഀ International Institute for Strategic Studies – which each year compiles the ਍਀洀漀猀琀 愀甀琀栀漀爀椀琀愀琀椀瘀攀 甀渀挀氀愀猀猀椀昀椀攀搀 挀漀甀渀琀 漀昀 洀椀氀椀琀愀爀礀 栀愀爀搀眀愀爀攀 愀渀搀 洀愀渀瀀漀眀攀爀 椀渀 攀愀挀栀 ഀ of the world's countries – wrote in its current assessment, "It is impossible to ਍਀猀栀漀眀 琀栀攀 搀椀瘀椀猀椀漀渀 漀昀 最爀漀甀渀搀 昀漀爀挀攀 攀焀甀椀瀀洀攀渀琀 愀洀漀渀最 琀栀攀 搀椀昀昀攀爀攀渀琀 昀愀挀琀椀漀渀猀⸀∀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ

The Taliban's arsenal is an international smorgasbord, although most of its ਍਀栀攀愀瘀椀攀猀琀 攀焀甀椀瀀洀攀渀琀 椀猀 氀攀昀琀 昀爀漀洀 琀栀攀 ㄀㤀㜀㤀ⴀ㠀㤀 匀漀瘀椀攀琀 椀渀瘀愀猀椀漀渀 漀昀 䄀昀最栀愀渀椀猀琀愀渀㨀 吀ⴀ㔀㐀 ഀ and T-62 tanks, a few armored personnel carriers, field artillery, ਍਀洀甀氀琀椀瀀氀攀ⴀ氀愀甀渀挀栀 爀漀挀欀攀琀 猀礀猀琀攀洀猀Ⰰ 愀戀漀甀琀 ㄀㔀 䴀椀䜀 愀渀搀 匀甀欀漀椀 昀椀最栀琀攀爀 瀀氀愀渀攀猀 愀渀搀 昀攀眀攀爀 ഀ than 30 helicopters.

਍਀㰀倀㸀䴀漀猀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 攀焀甀椀瀀洀攀渀琀 椀猀 愀琀 氀攀愀猀琀 琀栀椀爀搀ⴀ 漀爀 昀漀甀爀琀栀ⴀ栀愀渀搀 洀愀琀攀爀椀攀氀 ጀ†昀椀爀猀琀 ഀ captured from the Soviets by U.S.-backed Islamic guerrilla factions, then ਍਀瀀愀猀猀椀渀最 愀洀漀渀最 琀栀漀猀攀 最爀漀甀瀀猀 愀猀 琀栀攀礀 琀甀爀渀攀搀 漀渀 漀渀攀 愀渀漀琀栀攀爀 愀昀琀攀爀 琀栀攀 匀漀瘀椀攀琀 ഀ withdrawal, finally falling into the hands of the Taliban as it defeated various ਍਀眀愀爀氀漀爀搀猀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ

The Taliban is not known to possess any chemical or biological weapons.

਍਀㰀倀㸀∀吀栀攀爀攀 椀猀 渀漀 挀漀洀瀀攀琀椀琀椀漀渀 愀最愀椀渀猀琀 琀栀攀 唀⸀匀⸀ 椀渀 愀 昀爀漀渀琀愀氀 愀琀琀愀挀欀Ⰰ∀ 猀愀椀搀 䄀栀洀攀搀 ഀ Rashid, who has traveled extensively in Taliban-held territory and recently ਍਀眀爀漀琀攀 愀 戀漀漀欀 漀渀 琀栀攀 洀椀氀椀琀椀愀⸀ ∀吀栀攀 匀挀甀搀猀 愀爀攀 瘀攀爀礀 漀氀搀 愀渀搀 挀愀渀✀琀 戀攀 愀椀洀攀搀 瀀爀漀瀀攀爀氀礀 ഀ – but they are weapons of terror."

਍਀㰀倀㸀䴀漀猀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 吀愀氀椀戀愀渀✀猀 攀焀甀椀瀀洀攀渀琀 眀漀甀氀搀 戀攀 渀漀 洀愀琀挀栀 椀渀 挀漀洀戀愀琀 愀最愀椀渀猀琀 琀栀攀 唀⸀匀⸀ ഀ military. But Pakistani military officials and analysts say the Taliban's ਍਀愀渀琀椀愀椀爀挀爀愀昀琀 眀攀愀瀀漀渀猀 瀀漀猀攀 愀 瀀漀琀攀渀琀 琀栀爀攀愀琀 琀漀 瀀氀愀渀攀猀 愀渀搀 栀攀氀椀挀漀瀀琀攀爀猀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 椀琀猀 ഀ aging Scud missiles, with a 200-mile range, could be turned against Pakistan's ਍਀戀漀爀搀攀爀 挀椀琀椀攀猀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ

A Pakistani military officer said one of this country's primary security ਍਀挀漀渀挀攀爀渀猀 椀猀 琀栀攀 昀攀愀爀 漀昀 匀挀甀搀 氀愀甀渀挀栀攀猀 戀礀 琀栀攀 吀愀氀椀戀愀渀 椀渀 爀攀琀愀氀椀愀琀椀漀渀 昀漀爀 ഀ Pakistan's support of U.S. efforts to capture Osama bin Laden, who lives in ਍਀䄀昀最栀愀渀椀猀琀愀渀⸀ ∀吀栀攀 匀挀甀搀猀 洀愀礀 戀攀 椀渀愀挀挀甀爀愀琀攀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 渀漀琀 猀漀 椀渀愀挀挀甀爀愀琀攀 琀栀愀琀 琀栀攀礀 ഀ couldn't hit the cities of Peshawar or Quetta," he said.

਍਀㰀倀㸀吀漀搀愀礀 琀栀攀 吀愀氀椀戀愀渀 挀氀愀椀洀攀搀 琀栀愀琀 椀琀 栀愀搀 猀栀漀琀 搀漀眀渀 愀渀 甀渀洀愀渀渀攀搀 猀甀爀瘀攀椀氀氀愀渀挀攀 ഀ plane over Tashkurghan Pass in northern Afghanistan, near the border with ਍਀唀稀戀攀欀椀猀琀愀渀⸀ 倀愀欀椀猀琀愀渀椀 洀椀氀椀琀愀爀礀 漀昀昀椀挀椀愀氀猀 栀攀爀攀 挀漀甀氀搀 渀漀琀 挀漀渀昀椀爀洀 琀栀攀 挀氀愀椀洀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 ഀ they said Taliban troops are capable of hitting aircraft with their Soviet ਍਀愀爀琀椀氀氀攀爀礀 愀渀搀 猀甀爀昀愀挀攀ⴀ琀漀ⴀ愀椀爀 洀椀猀猀椀氀攀猀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ

The CIA supplied guerrilla fighters in Afghanistan with U.S.-made Stinger ਍਀愀渀琀椀愀椀爀挀爀愀昀琀 洀椀猀猀椀氀攀猀 搀甀爀椀渀最 琀栀攀 昀椀渀愀氀 礀攀愀爀猀 漀昀 琀栀攀 匀漀瘀椀攀琀 漀挀挀甀瀀愀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 ഀ missiles are credited with turning the war of resistance in favor of the rebels. ਍਀唀⸀匀⸀ 愀琀琀攀洀瀀琀猀 琀漀 戀甀礀 戀愀挀欀 琀栀攀 匀琀椀渀最攀爀猀 椀渀 琀栀攀 攀愀爀氀礀 ㄀㤀㤀　猀 昀愀椀氀攀搀 搀椀猀洀愀氀氀礀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 ഀ the missiles have been displayed regularly in military parades around the ਍਀挀漀甀渀琀爀礀 昀漀爀 愀 搀攀挀愀搀攀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ

While the Taliban paraded at least three Stingers through Kabul during a ਍਀爀攀挀攀渀琀 䤀渀搀攀瀀攀渀搀攀渀挀攀 䐀愀礀 挀攀氀攀戀爀愀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 洀椀氀椀琀愀爀礀 愀渀愀氀礀猀琀猀 猀愀椀搀 椀琀 椀猀 搀漀甀戀琀昀甀氀 琀栀攀 ഀ Stingers still function properly.

਍਀㰀倀㸀吀栀攀 吀愀氀椀戀愀渀 椀猀 戀攀氀椀攀瘀攀搀 琀漀 栀愀瘀攀 渀漀 洀漀爀攀 琀栀愀渀 㐀㔀Ⰰ　　　 琀爀漀漀瀀猀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 愀渀 攀猀琀椀洀愀琀攀搀 ഀ 8,000 to 15,000 of them are believed to be foreigners, including about 3,000 ਍਀匀愀甀搀椀猀 愀渀搀 漀琀栀攀爀 䄀爀愀戀猀 爀攀挀爀甀椀琀攀搀 戀礀 戀椀渀 䰀愀搀攀渀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ

In the past five years, bin Laden, the man Washington has blamed for the ਍਀匀攀瀀琀⸀ ㄀㄀ 愀琀琀愀挀欀猀 漀渀 琀栀攀 圀漀爀氀搀 吀爀愀搀攀 䌀攀渀琀攀爀 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 倀攀渀琀愀最漀渀Ⰰ 栀愀猀 爀攀瀀漀爀琀攀搀氀礀 ഀ provided funding to arm those Arab troops for the Taliban. But most of the new ਍਀眀攀愀瀀漀渀猀 愀爀攀 戀攀氀椀攀瘀攀搀 琀漀 戀攀 猀洀愀氀氀 愀爀洀猀Ⰰ 洀愀挀栀椀渀攀 最甀渀猀 愀渀搀 洀漀爀琀愀爀猀 甀猀攀搀 椀渀 琀栀攀 ഀ desert skirmishes by the mobile and well-disciplined Arab guerrillas, according ਍਀琀漀 洀椀氀椀琀愀爀礀 愀渀愀氀礀猀琀猀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ

Newer equipment also has been provided for the Taliban by the Pakistani ਍਀椀渀琀攀氀氀椀最攀渀挀攀 猀攀爀瘀椀挀攀猀 漀瘀攀爀 琀栀攀 瀀愀猀琀 猀攀瘀攀渀 礀攀愀爀猀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ

Special correspondent Kamran Khan contributed to this report.

਍਀㰀倀㸀ഀ
© 2001 The Washington Post Company
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