ISLAMABAD Oct 23: Afghan ambassador in Islamabad Mulla Abdul Salam Zaeef on Tuesday alleged that the US-led forces were using chemical weapons against the Afghans.

Speaking at a news conference, Zaeef, without giving details said, “We have information about the evidence of chemicals found on people injured by bombings.”

He also said that a Japanese journalist had been arrested by the Taliban authorities from Kunar province for entering the country illegally and has been kept in Jalalabad for investigations. He gave no indication when he would be released.

He said, “We have downed two US helicopters which proves that our air defence system was still intact and the claim that it was crippled by US air raids was false.”

The Afghan envoy told a questioner that the case of eight foreigners charged for preaching Christianity was under trial and we have no further details available on it.

“The Taliban front in the north of Kabul was heavily bombed last night and today he said but these attacks did not succeed in damaging our positions,” Zaeef maintained. He claimed that the Northern Alliance had been effectively pushed back after inflicting heavy losses of life and material.

He said that so far over one thousand people have been killed in the US strikes.

The ambassador said that there were reports of heavy bombing in Pule Kharma village in Herat, but the exact number of casualties was not known.