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Iran refuses Afghan plane to fly over its territory: Taliban |
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October 2, 2000
KABUL (AP) - Iran refused an Afghan aircraft carrying relief goods to Iraq permission to fly over its territory because of United Nations' sanctions, said a Taliban foreign ministry statement issued Sunday. The Afghan aircraft also was carrying sportsmen to Iraq, said the foreign ministry statement. There were no details about the kind of humanitarian aid being donated by Afghanistan's hardline Islamic Taliban rulers. It's also not clear when the aircraft was denied permission. The U.N. imposed limited sanctions on the Taliban last November after they refused to hand over Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, who is accused by Washington of masterminding the bombings of its embassies in Africa in August 1998. Washington wants bin Laden to stand trial in the United States or a third country. Iraq also faces U.N. sanctions, which was sharply criticized by the Taliban foreign ministry statement as U.S. inspired and aimed at the poorest. "We are concerned about the plight and suffering of the Iraqi people," the statement said. After Iraq, the U.N. has targeted Afghanistan, it said. The Taliban asked for support from fellow Muslim countries to get the sanctions lifted. "We urge the Muslim countries and the world to help lift sanctions," the statement said. Afghanistan, one of the world's poorest countries, has been devastated by more than two decades of civil war. The Taliban have been appealing to the world powers to lift sanctions and increase humanitarian aid. But the Taliban, who rule nearly 95 percent of Afghanistan, including the capital Kabul, are under bitter criticism from many western countries for their human rights abuses and a harsh version of Islam that seriously handicaps women denying them access to work and girls to education. |