41.   In a message carried on Taliban radio, Omar said opposition soldiers burned homes in Bamiyan as Taliban troops advanced on the city two weeks ago.

42.   In recent days, the Zapatistas have charged that government troops have advanced menacingly on rebel positions in Chiapas.

43.   International aid agencies working in rebel-held areas withdrew from the guerrilla citadel to avoid being caught in the cross-fire as government troops advanced.

44.   It was not immediate clear whether the troops were advancing on Saturday.

45.   Machine-gun fire shook the village as government troops advanced toward a sector still in rebel hands.

46.   Machine-gun fire echoed through the village Tuesday as the government troops slowly advanced toward a section of the town still in rebel hands.

47.   Magomed Tolboyev, the security chief in Dagestan region, denied that any additional Russian troops had advanced to the Chechen border, Interfax said.

48.   Machine-gun fire shook Oraovica as government troops advanced toward a sector that was in rebel hands.

49.   Meanwhile, Russian troops were seen advancing on Grozny from the west and the south.

50.   Negotiations continued and there were no reports that rebel troops were advancing.