31.   Fallah accused the Taliban Islamic militia which controls Afghan provinces bordering Iran of encouraging drug production in Afghanistan.

32.   The Taliban, who have vowed to take the capital, emerged on the Afghan political scene several months ago but already control eight provinces in southern Afghanistan.

33.   The Taliban, who emerged from nowhere last year, quickly garnering public support in this war-torn country, now control thirteen provinces.

34.   The Talibans, who already control eight provinces in southern Afghanistan, are said by many diplomats and experts to have received support in their early stages from Pakistan.

35.   They now control nine provinces, but were forced out of Kabul at the weekend, in their first defeat.

36.   Masood has forged an alliance with northern Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostam, whose fighters control six provinces.

37.   On Saturday, the militia claimed to have taken another district in the west of the country where it already controls Herat province.

38.   Since the Taliban took over Kabul its progress north, where Dostam controls six provinces, has been held up by ex-government forces.

39.   Talibans emerged on the Afghan political scene several months ago but already control eight provinces in southern Afghanistan.

40.   Taleban are reported to control eight provinces in the south of the country and are moving into the west in Herat and toward the Pakistan frontier on the east.