Associated Press
BAGRAM, Afghanistan — U.S. jets dive-bombed Taliban positions on the front line north of the Afghan capital on Thursday, eluding at least one missile and sending thick columns of black smoke climbing into the sky. Warplanes later pounded Kabul in the strongest attack on the city in days.
The warplanes repeatedly struck targets near Kabul’s airport, the city’s center, and to the north and west. The assault lasted past midnight and involved at least 10 waves of warplanes. Gunners for the ruling Taliban responded with heavy salvos of antiaircraft fire.
Bombing to the north of the capital was for control of the strategic Bagram airport — held by the opposition Northern Alliance but of no use because of Taliban fighters in the hills around it.
Driving the Taliban away from positions around the airport would enable the alliance to fly in troops, ammunition and supplies for an attack on Kabul, about 30 miles away.
U.S. jets were also in action Thursday in the skies near Taliban-held Mazar-e-Sharif, striking Taliban positions to the south and east of the strategic city, whose capture by the Northern Alliance would open crucial supply routes to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Opposition officials in Uzbekistan said a Taliban commander, Mullah Yusuf, and 10 other Taliban fighters were killed in the bombing near Mazar-e-Sharif. The opposition also claimed its troops captured the village of Shurchi on the southern outskirts of Mazar-e-Sharif and took 180 Taliban prisoners. The reports could not be independently confirmed.
In other developments:
Associated Press
Copyright ©2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.