ISLAMABAD, July 5: About 100 Taliban prisoners were killed when Taliban jet fighters blasted the opposition-held Faryab province, Gen Abdul Malik, the chief of the northern forces, has claimed.

Gen Malik said in Mazar-e-Sharief that the dead include about 60 Taliban militia and the rest were their pakistani collaborators.

The Pakistan Television, however, reported today that nearly 40 persons were killed in the Taliban air attack on the Faryab province.

Gen Malik's forces also resorted to air attack on Kabul but there were no details of casualties.

Meanwhile, Taliban leaders in Kabul have expressed their concern over the safety of nearly 700 Talibans held as prisoners by Gen Malik in northern areas.

``We feel the raid was staged by Gen Malik to eliminate Talibans in their captivity,'' Afghan Consul General in Peshawar was quoted as saying.

Earlier, a Pakistani attempt to bring the two warring factions to the negotiating table failed to make any headway as both parties expressed mistrust for each other.

Taliban leaders wanted that Gen Malik sould first release the Taliban prisoners which also include Taliban former foreign minister.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.