Afghan Rebels Report Downing Soviet Plane

Guerrillas fighting the Soviet-backed Afghan government said Sunday that they shot down a transport plane over Khost air base in the southeastern part of the country.

They said the plane was downed Saturday by rocket and machine-gun fire as it was about to land after a flight from Kabul, the Afghan capital. It was not known whether the aircraft was empty or bringing supplies or soldiers. And, as usual with such assertions, there was no independent confirmation.