I'd take this report with a large dose of scepticism; is such publicity designed to disable any talks between the Karzai government and Hekmatyr?

There was a recent UK Channel Four report that Kabul was a city under siege; see link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/ar...-bombings.html The TV report is on this, but may not work outside the UK: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/u...world/catch-up

Peter Oborne's despatch reminded me that is Hekmatyr's forces who bombarded Kabul for months during the civil war i.e. before the Taliban's appearance. Hardly encouraging for those who live in Kabul.

I am mindful that one provincial governor was or is Abu Sayyaf, whose name is linked to a terrorist group in the Phillipines (unable to quickly verify from Google search). He too fought against the Soviet supported regime and choose to be loyal to the Kabul government after US intervention.

davidbfpo