41.   The fighting came amid reports that a key opposition leader, Malik Pahlawan, had left Mazar-e-Sharif.

42.   The fighting came as Nigeria warned it might use force to restore President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, who fled the country Sunday.

43.   The fighting came on the eve of high-level negotiations between the dissident guerrillas and the government.

44.   The fighting comes a day after the Abu Sayyaf threatened to behead the Burnhams if the military does not stop its assault.

45.   The fighting came after the Taliban claimed to have captured a Hezb-e-Islami military base in Paktika.

46.   The fighting came as ethnic Albanian negotiators returned to Kosovo from peace talks in Rambouillet, France.

47.   The fighting came as Lebanese and Syrian leaders prepared to hold an annual summit in Damascus to discuss Middle East peace, bilateral relations and internal Lebanese affairs.

48.   The fighting came as Lebanese and Syrian leaders prepared to hold an annual summit in Damascus to discuss Mideast peace, bilateral relations and internal Lebanese affairs.

49.   The fighting came close to the border with neighboring Tajikistan at several points, said Russian border guards.

50.   The fighting comes amid growing international efforts to prevent the clashes from escalating into a full-scale war.