The World - News from Dec. 7, 1988

Families of Afghan officials have begun moving out of the capital of Kabul because guerrillas are choking the flow of essential food and fuel supplies to the city, Western diplomatic sources said in Pakistan. The diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the families appeared to be moving to Balkh province, near the Soviet border. “The Russians are presumably trying to protect all those who have collaborated with KHAD (the Afghan state security) over the years,” one source said. He added that he has been told the agency is removing its files from Kabul. Moscow agreed in the spring to withdraw its more than 100,300 troops from Afghanistan by Feb. 15, and the guerrillas have made major gains since then.