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Muhammad Najeeb in Islamabad
Thirteen people were killed as the United States resumed air strikes in Afghanistan after a day's lull, officials of the Taleban mission in Islamabad said.
"We have received reports from Afghanistan that 13 persons were killed in Kandahar and Jalalabad on Saturday," a spokesman of the embassy said.
Reports in Islamabad said two loud explosions and anti-aircraft fire were heard in Kabul in the early hours of Saturday.
The reports said the Taleban fired several 'missiles' at the planes and that one of them had been shot down. There was no confirmation of this from the Taleban or American authorities.
"By the grace of God, Mullah Mohammed Omar and other Taleban leaders are safe," the spokesman said.
He added that till now only civilians had been killed in the air strikes. "Not a single mujahid [holy warrior] has been killed," he claimed.
The spokesman said the Taleban had gained "some successes", but that "the details are still not known".
The spokesman said that more troops had been deployed on the border with Pakistan following reports that allied forces would try to invade Afghanistan on Sunday.
Commenting on a reward that is reported to have been announced by Osama bin Laden for capturing US soldiers, the spokesman said the Taleban government was unaware of this.
"Though the money is not much, the cash rewards could represent a significant blow to US hopes of capturing Laden and persuading Afghans to betray him," said a Western diplomat.
Meanwhile, a large number of foreign journalists in Pakistan are continuing their efforts to enter Afghanistan. The Taleban embassy spokesman warned that anyone entering the country illegally would be taken into custody. The Pakistani government has also warned foreign journalists against breaking the country's laws.
"If someone goes inside Afghanistan without proper identification, we will also take action against the particular agency or network sponsoring that person," foreign ministry spokesman Riaz Muhammad Khan said. "Please advise your colleagues not to be adventurous."
Indo-Asian News Service
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