1.
GV Afghan village and SV crumbling house (3 shots)
0.21

2.
GV Rebel soldier standing by shell and CU shell
0.34

3.
GV Soldier and rubble
0.42

4.
GV Ruined house PAN ACROSS valley TO mountains
0.54

5.
SV Rubble and bomb and CU bomb (3 shots)
1.10

6.
SV Soldier squatting beside bomb
1.17

7.
GV Rubble
1.18




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TELERECORDING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Latest reports from Afghanistan indicate a major change in Soviet policy in their battle against Moslem guerrillas. The Soviet army and airforce have launched rocket and artillery attacks on villages surrounding major towns in the country.

SYNOPSIS: Diplomatic sources in Delhi say the attacks may be the prelude to the establishment of safe zones around the major towns in which anything moving will risk being destroyed. They also say Soviet troops and soldiers of the pro-Soviet Afghan government have been entering deserted villages and taking away all livestock. This would have the effect of removing the incentive for villagers to return and, at the same time, deny the Moslem guerrillas a source of food.

This eight millimetre film smuggled out of Afghanistan was shot at the village of Ama Dasht Azi in Nangarhar Province, south-west of Jalalabad. The guerrillas said it had been attacked by Soviet and government troops. The Soviet Union is estimated to have suffered about ten thousand casualties since its intervention in Afghanistan last December. By creating safe zones around major towns, the Russians hope to cut dow on their casualties as well as to isolate the rebels. The Russians estimate the strength of the guerrillas to be about thirty thousand men.