Kabul airport open again

KABUL (AFP) - The international airport in Kabul, the Afghan capital, reopened yesterday, the third successive day of a ceasefire between Afghan government forces and guerrillas belonging to the Hizbe Islami mujahedin faction. Ceasefire violations around Kabul were negligible, said Abdul Aziz, a spokesman for the interim president, Burhanuddin Rabbani.

The airport was declared open for domestic and international civilian flights three weeks after rocket fire and shelling forced its closure. Military planes would be barred.

Employees at the Ariana Afghan Airlines office in New Delhi said that even if the airport had been declared open, which they could not confirm, it could take several days for operations to resume.