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 | | Sunday, October 07, 2001 Tishrei 20, 5762 | Israel Time: 08:41 (GMT+2) | | |
 | | | | | | | Last update - 20:29 07/10/2001 |
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| | Attack on Afghanistan underway; blasts, anti-aircraft fire in Kabul | | | By Ha'aretz Service and News Agencies | | | | | Thunderous explosions and the rattle of anti-aircraft fire were heard Sunday night in the Afghan capital Kabul, as the U.S., with the assistance of British forces, launched a much-anticipated military strike against Afghanistan. Electricity was shut off throughout the capital city.
The first explosions could be heard about 16:27 GMT. Five large explosions shook the city, followed by the sounds of anti-aircraft fire. A Reuters correspondent said he had heard planes flying overhead, and had then heard at least four explosions. He added that the strikes had been heard near the Defense Ministry.
The Taliban Foreign Ministry said anti-aircraft guns had fired at two aircraft, which disappeared after their bombing runs.
Strikes were also reported in Kandahar, the spiritual capital in the south of the country. A senior Taliban official confirmed that the airport and radar systems in Kandahar had been destroyed, and CNN reported that strikes had been heard in Jalalabad. Northern Alliance spokesman Dr. Abdullah Abdullah said at least three training camps near Jalalabad might have been hit.
NBC reported that U.S. special forces were either already on Afghani soil, or would soon be.
Israel receives early-warning
Israel received an early warning of the attack, Israel Radio reported.
In light of the U.S. attacks, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will convene a security meeting Sunday night. Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, IDF officers and intelligence officials will attend the meeting.
Asked whether Israel might be the target of attacks as a consequence of the assault on Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said: "At this stage I don't see a danger of this kind."
Bush: conflict will be won by 'patient accumulation of successes'
CNN reported that the military action began with a volley of cruise missiles launched from British and U.S. ships. Initial targets were anti-air defenses, military camps and military targets connected to the Taliban.
Addressing the American people, President George W. Bush announced that the attacks had begun. He said he had given the Taliban leadership warnings, but that none of them had been heeded. He said the Taliban would pay the price for harboring Osama bin-Laden.
"By destroying camps and disrupting communications, we will make it more difficult for the terror network to train new recruits...the military action is also designed to clear the way for sustained, comprehensive operations to drive them out," he said.
Bush added that the U.S. would send aid packages to the people of Afghanistan. "At the same time, the oppressed people of Afghanistan will know the generosity of America and her allies. As we strike military targets we will drop food, medicine and supplies to the starving people of Afghanistan."
Bush stressed that the U.S. was a friend to the Afghan people and to billions of people worldwide who practiced the Islamic faith.
He said the U.S. would win the conflict by the "patient accumulation of successes," and that it was an enemy of those who harbor terrorists.
A spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed that Britain was taking part in the strikes.
A Taliban envoy to Afghanistan termed the strikes "terrorist acts" and said the Taliban would not hand over bin Laden. He added that Afghanistan would "fight to its last breath."
Afghan opposition makes advances
Afghan opposition forces fighting the Taliban said on Sunday they had seized 11 villages in the central province of Ghor and were advancing on the provincial capital Cheghcharan.
An opposition spokesman, Mohammad Habeel, said Taliban defections were partly responsible for the advance in Ghor, which followed reports on Saturday of similar movement in the northern province of Samangan.
The United States has sent 1,000 soldiers to Uzbekistan, which shares a border with Afghanistan and the Voice of America said Sunday the first planes had landed.
U.S. and British aircraft carriers, more than 300 warplanes, ships armed with cruise missiles and special forces troops are all positioned within striking distance of Afghanistan. Some 30,000 other troops have also been deployed.
The United Nations says a quarter of Afghanistan's 24 million population are dependent on food aid, that more than a million people have fled their homes within the war- and drought-ravaged country. The U.N. estimated that up to 1.5 million more may try to cross into neighboring countries. |
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