News In Brief

Afghan rulers call for more men under arms

The Afghan government, now into its fifth year of war against Muslim guerrillas, has ordered all eligible men to sign up for military service by March 21 or face imprisonment, Radio Kabul announced Jan. 1.

Western diplomats here say the strength of the Afghan Army, more than 80,000 when Soviet troops entered the country four years ago last week, has fallen to about 40,000 due to losses in battle and defections to the anticommunist rebels.