1.
GV & SVs Afghan rebels journey on foot across snow fields (2 shots)
0.12

2.
SV & GV Rebels march across snow
0.35

3.
GV Helicopter bombards mountain top, smoke raised from explosive (2 shots)
0.38

4.
GVs Planes diving and valley being bombed (3 shots)
0.48

5.
GV Helicopters attacking, and being fired on, smoke rising as rockets hit valley (2 shots)
0.59

6.
LV & GV Afghans digging out village after raid (2 shots)
1.09

7.
GV & SV Two men with small body of child, as villagers dig through rubble
1.21




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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: Afghanistan has rejected, as flagrant interference, an Iranian plan to replace Soviet troops on its territory with an Islamic peace-keeping force. This was stated in a note to the United nations. It comes at a time when heavy fighting is going on in Afghanistan.

SYNOPSIS: One such area is in the northeast, in Badakhshan Province where Afghan rebels face the onset of winter. This is close to Hindu Kush corridor linking the country to China, where mountains rise to more than 6,000 metres. The rebels claim some 80,000 soldiers have deserted the Moscow-backed Afghan army and joined them. Many defecting soldiers have brought weapons and ammunition with them.

Soviet helicopters have been active in several areas, blasting rebel-held positions and villages with rockets. Bombers have also been in action.

Soviet military leaders have recently been in Kabul, discussing the autumn and winter military offensive. Afghanistan's President Karmal has said fighting is spreading and has assumed a larger scale. An official Kabul newspaper reports that several rebel groups have been wiped out. After a raid on this village Afghans clearing the debris came across the body of a child killed in the attack.