Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: Afghanistan Economy Eroded by Years of Fighting

Aired September 26, 2001 - 07:26   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The people of Afghanistan are no strangers to war and conflict. And even with the threat of another battle looming, some Afghans are trying to carry on with day to day living.

CNN's Chris Burns joins us now from a town in northern Afghanistan -- good morning, Chris.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Well, a breathtaking backdrop to a city that's been living on the edge for years now. In fact, this -- the next village back over my shoulder is where a -- when we were here a couple of days ago a Taliban war jet, one of the few they have, dropped a bomb on that, near that village. So it's very, very close, some of the fighting in the last couple of days. Today it's rather quiet. But these people are still, they see a war just about every day.

In fact, in this little village here, this little shop here, Mr. Rahman (ph), he sells by day and he fights by night. That's what a lot of people here do. He says that he is confident that the Americans will come and provide air power and weapons and support. He's confident, but we'll have to see if that actually happens.

There's another man who works in a clinic and he says that he cries at night thinking about how he vaccinates these people when they're young and they just go on to die on the battlefield.

If you look further over my shoulder, the first mountain there on the left, that craggy peak is where the front line begins. That front line leads to Kabul. And if Kabul is the mountains to the right over there, if you go past the mountains about 50 kilometers or 30 miles back over that way, that is the prize. That is a prize for the Northern Alliance and presumably for American forces if they want to base themselves at a Soviet air base that is near -- former Soviet air base is near there.

A few rounds of gunfire going off in the distance the last few minutes, but the locals assure me that it's only target practice -- Paula.

ZAHN: So, Chris, do these locals plan to stay put? BURNS: Well, yes, they do. In fact, they've been here for five years, for the five years of fighting. This village has passed between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance three times. They've fought back and forth. This war has washed back and forth over this village and the people go on with their lives. They just go on doing what they're doing and fighting the fight. They say they'll go and continue even if America doesn't come to help them out. They're going to keep fighting as they have for decades -- Paula.

ZAHN: But Chris, even though they may be staying there, there has been talk for the last couple of days about a looming refugee crisis with hundreds of thousands of Afghans on the move. Have you heard any evidence of people outside of this village headed for the border of Pakistan or Iran?

BURNS: Oh, well, that's absolutely right. In fact, through this village you see some vehicles passing with people leaving Kabul, saying that there is a climate of fear over there as the Taliban gird themselves for warfare. Yes, it is a growing problem. It is a growing problem all over Afghanistan. And what it aggravated by that is that about one fifth of the 26 million people living in Afghanistan depend on international aid.

The United Nations has been very frustrated in delivering that aid and has only begun, yesterday they said they will start resuming aid to the north, where the Northern Alliance is, where there is a less of a threat of war. But in the south, they say the Taliban have seized some 1,400 tons of supplies that the United Nations was about to deliver to people down in that region.

So it is a growing problem and it is a growing problem for millions of people in this country -- Paula.

ZAHN: Chris, there are also reports that the Taliban might be experiencing some defections. Have you gotten any confirmation of that?

BURNS: None from this end. We have seen the wire reports on that. There are, of course, claims by the Northern Alliance saying that they have captured a number of fighters and weapons and so forth and that, and then some people among those fighters are giving themselves up. So it wouldn't be surprising if that were the case because the Taliban have been admitting that they are losing ground in the north. There's more fighting today up there, that the National Alliance is gaining ground.

So it is quite possible that there are people giving themselves up instead of fighting -- Paula.

ZAHN: And is there any more evidence that the Northern Alliance has gotten more obvious support from the United States in the last couple of days?

BURNS: No word from this side. No word from the Northern Alliance, and there's really no sign of that aside from the fact last week that we heard about this spy plane, unmanned spy plane that was shot down that apparently the CIA is helping out and exchanging information with the Northern Alliance. But in terms of actual physical aid, military hardware, we have seen no evidence of that yet. Perhaps that is on its way, Paula, and that's what they hope for here.

ZAHN: All right, Chris Burns, thanks so much for that report. We will continue to check in with you throughout the morning, as well.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com