U.S. SAYS AFGHAN REBELS INCREASE THEIR CONTROL IN NORTHEAST REGIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000101010003-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 22, 2010
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: January 11, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/22 : CIA-RDP9O-00552ROO0101010003-7
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11 JANUARY 1980
ezr -Control in N or eaSt goes
had also promised not to make up the
Soviet grans, deficit. - Argentina has -re-
fused to;go al.ing with the embargo- but
lacks sufficient surpluses -to make any
difference, the spokesman. said. As a re-
sult,. the. spokesman said, "the Soviet
Union will be unable?through purchases
of grain from other countries to meet the
major shortfall caused by the President's
decision.., _._._-s~..x~.R;,.-_?~ ~~v;.t.,
Issued a. statement saying,_that "the
United States is pleased by the positive
response on the part of. our. European
allies" to President Carter's decision to
cancel the sale of 17 million metric tons of
grain to the Soviet Union.
The spokesman said that in addition to
the Europeans, : Canada, and Australia
Today the StateDeparment spokesman
U.S. Pleased by Response
Economic Affairs, planned to visit sev-
eral allied capitals. next week to discuss
curbs on exports to Iran and on trade with
N. Cooper, Under Secretary of State for
Union for its actions in Afghanistan and
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 -- The United
States reported today that Afghan insur-
gents had increased their control over the
countryside in two northeast provinces of
Afghanistan and that heavy fighting be-
tween the rebels and Soviet-backed Af-
ghan troops was taking place in and
around a key cityon the road to Pakistan.
Briefing reporters on the latest intelli-
gence information,. Hodding Carter ,
Lne St-ate Department spokesman, said
that Sovi et troops, now estitnated at more
than 85,000, continue to be reinforced'but
had not so far engaged in any significant
military action with the insurgents.,
Despite the freeze in Soviet-American
relations following the Soviet interven-
tion in Afghanistan, there were signs that
diplomatic talks might resume soon.' ' ,
Administration officials said that Am-
bassador Thomas J. Watson Jr., who was
called home from Moscow last week as a
sign of American displeasure, is due to
return to the Soviet Union this weekend.
Moscow Envoy Returning.
By coincidence, Ambassador Anatoly
F. Dobrynin, who returned to Moscow for
consultations on Dec. 10, before the Afghan crisis, is expected back in Washing-
ton this weekend, officials said.
Meanwhile, officials said that Deputy
"The United States feels that strong
allied backing in this area demonstrates
Western solidarity in the race of a direct
Soviet threat to international security
and will make clear to the Soviets that
they cannot underta3,e aggression with
inhpugnity," he said.
rteavyFight:ngNearjalalabad -
On the fighting in Afghanistan, the
spokesman said that "heavy insurgent
activity" was occurring around ' Jalala-
bad,a key city in eastern - Afghanistan
that is about- 50 miles from the Pakistan
border and the Khyber Pass, the gateway
into western Pakistari.?
"The rebels have hit some targets in-
side the city and have taken control of at
? least one outlying district," he said.
The spokesman said that. the insur-
gents, who are not organized under a uni-
fied command, had also "increased their
control over the countryside in Takhar
and Badakhshan provinces in the north-
east." . .
"In these areas,":he said, "they seem
to beg at least on occasion, penetrating-
into larger towns. The Soviet-sponsored
Afghan Government clearly is concerned
about outbreaks of civil unrest in urban
areas and has imposed curfews In major
cities."
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/22 : CIA-RDP9O-00552ROO0101010003-7