Soviets Admit Planes Aided Kabul, Deny Breaking Pact

MOSCOW — The Soviet Union acknowledged Wednesday that its warplanes had aided Afghan government forces fighting for control of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, but spokesman Gennady I. Gerasimov denied U.S. charges that the action violated the April 14 agreement on ending the Afghan conflict.

“We are abiding by the Geneva agreement,” Gerasimov told a news conference, arguing that Pakistan through its support of the Muslim guerrillas is the principal violator of the accord.

“When the situation became critical in areas around Kunduz, with the consent of the Afghan government, aircraft from Soviet territory have been used for urgent support of forces, including a Soviet unit, fighting the counterrevolutionaries,” he said.

He added that “small Soviet detachments and Soviet citizens” had remained in the provincial capital after most Soviet forces had pulled out to meet the Aug. 15 deadline for the withdrawal of half of the Soviet forces from Afghanistan.

The rebel moujahedeen then launched a major offensive to capture Kunduz in an attempt to score a significant propaganda victory, briefly hailed by American officials. The rebels drove out government units before Kunduz, which is only 30 miles from the Soviet border, was retaken after two days of heavy fighting.

“Countermeasures were required,” Gerasimov said, acknowledging the air strikes against the moujahedeen but providing no details on the number of planes involved.

Gerasimov accused the U.S.-backed rebels of atrocities in their battle to capture Kunduz and other provincial capitals before mounting an assault on Kabul.

“They burned down three hospitals,” he charged. “They destroyed all governmental buildings. They destroyed several mosques, these ‘freedom fighters.’ They blew up the power station so Kunduz was without electricity. They killed officials, including members of their families. They killed traders and merchants. And they abducted 200 schoolgirls and college students from Kunduz.”

On Tuesday, the State Department accused Moscow of violating the Geneva peace agreement on Afghanistan by sending bombers to attack the positions of Muslim rebels around Kunduz.

Department spokeswoman Phyllis Oakley charged that the use of Soviet air power from bases outside the country constituted a clear violation of the accord.