Afghans claim 4 strongholds

Afghan Muslim rebels captured four Soviet strongholds in eastern Kunar Province, but Soviet air strikes continue to lay waste to Afghanistan's Kama Valley, rebel reports said over the weekend. Exiled Islamic parties in the northern garrison town of Peshawar, in Pakistan, claimed that their forces captured the Soviet bases in Chigha Sarai, capital of Kunar Province. Kunar, which borders Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province, was captured by Soviet forces in early March after heavy bombing attacks by Soviet helicopters supporting tanks and ground troops.

In a separate attack in Kunar last week, six Russian and eight Afghan government soldiers were killed when Islamic rebels attacked a convoy of tanks and trucks, the spokesman said.

Soviet helicopter gunships and MIG fighter-bombers are continuing their devastating bombing attacks on the Kama Valley, captured by Soviet forces March 31, according to a spokesman of the exiled Hibzbe Islamic party.

Last week Soviet tanks and troops, supported by helicopters and fighter-bombers, poured across the river and rolled through the valley, meeting little resistance, according to rebel reports.