World

Afghan guerrillas are battling Soviet ground forces 14 miles west of Kabul, the capital, and shot down as many as 16 helicopters and jets in a recent two-week period, Western diplomats said in Islamabad, Pakistan. The growing anti-aircraft capability of the rebels, armed with Stinger and Blowpipe missiles, has caused a reduction in air strikes by Soviet jets and helicopter gunships, the diplomats said. Heavy casualties were reported in the fighting around the cities of Paghman and Maidan Shahr, but no figures were available.