Thousands of people gathered yesterday in a small village in Afghanistan's mighty Hindu Kush mountain range to bury opposition leader Ahmed Shah Masood, who died from wounds received in a suicide attack.

Mr. Masood's supporters shouted slogans against the ruling Taliban militia and also condemned Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, which U.S. officials blame on Osama bin Laden, the terrorist who has been given sanctuary in Afghanistan by the Taliban.

Mr. Masood was buried in his home village of Basarak in the Panjshir Valley, north of Kabul.

Supporters said Mr. Masood died Saturday from wounds suffered in a Sept. 9 suicide bombing that they say was ordered by the Taliban and Mr. bin Laden; other reports said he died earlier in the week. He was 48.

The veteran guerrilla commander was dubbed the Lion of Panjshir for his defence of the Panjshir Valley against the former Soviet Union during its decade-long war in Afghanistan. He later held the valley against the Taliban.

AP