Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Sezvo pombi yacho yaifanira kupfuura nomuAfghanistan, zvakanga zvakafanira kushanda neTaliban. Mumiriri weU.S. muPakistan, Robert Oakley, akasiya basa rake ndokubatwa neCentGas muna 1997. MunaJanuary 1998, maTaliban, achisarudza CentGas pamusoro pemakwikwi eArgentina Bridas Corporation, akasaina chibvumirano chakabvumira kuti chirongwa chakarongwa chienderere mberi. Muna June 1998, Gazprom yeRussia yakasiya chikamu chayo che10% muchirongwa chacho. Musi waAugust 7, 1998, mabhishopu eAmerica muNairobi neDar es Salaam akarwiswa nebhomba
. United States yakataura kuti Osama bin Laden akanga ari seri kwokudenha ikoko, uye kurukurirano dzose dzepombi dzakamira, sezvo mutungamiriri weTaliban panguva iyoyo, Mullah Omar, akazivisa kuti bin Laden akanga ane tsigiro yeTaliban. Unocal yakabva mumubatanidzwa musi wa8 December 1998, uye nokukurumidza pashure pacho yakavhara mahofisi ayo muAfghanistan nePakistan.