State-run radio Shariat announced that 490 men had been lashed after they were found with neatly groomed beards, while 110 women were punished after the Islamic militia's police patrols found them to be inadequately covered.

"The unit also punished 10 taxi drivers who contrary to Islamic teachings transported women without their legal male relative," the Taliban radio added.

In Kabul, patrols speed around in Japanese-made jeeps mounted with loudspeakers blaring out religious sermons. Kabul residents said those captured by the patrols received a brief lashing with a rubber hose.

Last week the patrols punished 120 beard trimmers, while the week before 65 men were given a forced haircut by scissor-wielding religious police, unhappy with lengthy fringes considered Un-Islamic by the militia.

Since seizing theonce-liberal Afghan capital in September 1996, the Taliban's Department for the Fostering of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has strictly enforced the Moslem militia's strict rules of appearance and conduct.

In 1997, the militia nabbed more than 1,200 beard law violators and the current onslaught of arrests comes amid the false belief that last year's massive crackdowns had eased.