State-owned Ariana Airlines continues to operate, despite international sanctions and a ban on international flights.

The Afghan airline, based in Kabul, has four, ageing Boeing-727 aircraft and five Russian-made Antonov aircraft.

Maintenance standards are considered extremely poor in a country that has been battered by more than 20 years of war.

On 14 November, 1999, the United Nations imposed sanctions against the airline to punish the Taleban Islamic movement for its refusal to extradite the Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, who is believed to be living in Afghanistan.

As a result, Ariana has been barred from international flights but continues to fly domestic routes.

The Taleban say they will not turn over bin Laden because Afghan culture and tradition makes it impossible to hand over a guest to his enemies.

They also argue they do not have an extradition treaty with the United States.

Poor accident record

Three Ariana aircraft have crashed in the last three years:

• In August 1997, the former Prime Minister, Abdul Rahim Ghaforzai died in a plane crash.

• In January, 1998, 80 died when a Russian-built Antonov flying from Kandahar to Herat got lost in fog while looking for an emergency landing strip.

• In March, 1998, around 45 people died when an Afghan Ariana Airlines Boeing 727 crashed into a mountain in bad weather.

Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif airports are in Taleban-controlled territory and house military jets and fighter bombers, as well as being used by aid agencies and the United Nations.