Fighting in western Afghanistan leaves at least six dead, 20 injured

Fighting in western Afghanistan leaves at least six dead, 20 injured TODD PITMAN Associated Press Writer KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) _ Fighting between rival warlords in western

Friday, October 4th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Fighting in western Afghanistan leaves at least six dead, 20 injured

TODD PITMAN

Associated Press Writer

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) _ Fighting between rival warlords in western Afghanistan has killed at least six people, including three children, and injured more than 20 others, a military commander said Saturday.

Ethnic Tajik forces loyal to Ismail Khan, governor of Herat province, clashed with forces loyal to Pashtun commander Ammanullah Khan for four days in Zer-e-Koh district, about 15 miles south of Shindand air base, said Haji Mohammed, a deputy commander loyal to Ammanullah.

The fighting, which ended Friday, began after the Pashtun leader's forces refused to hand over to Ismail Khan an Iranian citizen they had arrested in the area, Mohammed said.

The Iranian was detained after being questioned by Ammanullah's forces and reportedly told them he was Afghan, hiding his Iranian identity. The man, who was wearing Afghan clothes and had no weapons, was sent to Kandahar and later handed over to American forces there, Mohammed said.

Ismail Khan's militiamen launched an offensive on the town with rocket- and artillery-fire. Two women, three children and a young man were killed in the fighting, Mohammed said. Twenty civilians were also wounded, as were several of Ammanullah Khan's fighters.

The fighting was the first in Herat province since August, when clashes broke out in Goryan, about 40 miles west of the city of Herat, leaving as many as 70 people dead.

Afghanistan's former Taliban regime, ousted in a U.S.-led military campaign last year, was dominated by Pashtuns.

After the Taliban regime fell, Ismail Khan, a former governor, returned to take charge of the province. Local Pashtuns have since then complained bitterly of looting and oppression by Ismail Khan's armed followers.

Similar complaints from Pashtuns in northern Afghanistan have been reported and attacks on ethnic Pashtuns have been documented by the United Nations.