Hundreds of civilians died in Afghan city, envoy says

Several hundred civilians were killed last month in a week-long bombardment of Kandahar, an Afghan provincial capital, by Soviet and Afghan troops, a Western diplomat said.

The diplomat quoted an Afghan source as saying the incident began Jan. 21 when rebels attacked a Soviet vehicle in the city. The Soviets responded with an intensive tank and artillery pounding of the city over the next week, the source said.