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CNN Live At Daybreak

Target: Terrorism - On the Front Line

Aired October 05, 2001 - 07:14   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the fighting in Afghanistan between the Northern Alliance and the Taliban. Northern Alliance forces are some 15 miles north of Kabul, Afghanistan's capital city. CNN's Matthew Chance is on the front lines with those forces not far from the Taliban fighters. Matthew?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Miles.

That's right, there has, indeed, been more fighting across northern Afghanistan. The latest reports we have are coming from the military command here north of the Panjshir Valley. They're saying that the Northern Alliance, the anti-Taliban forces, have been making some gains, several hundred kilometers to the west of where we're standing right now. It's not possible for us to get to that conflict zone right now so we can't independently verify those reports at this stage. We'll just say there is sporadic fighting elsewhere across northern Afghanistan.

We traveled last night, in fact, to one of the front lines at a place called Rabat (ph), just about 25 kilometers or 15 miles north of the Afghan capital, Kabul.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHANCE (voice-over): A tense journey through the ravaged villages on the front line in Afghanistan's civil war. Control of these buildings has changed hands no less than three times. Whole lives have known only conflict. Mohammed Carne (ph) is commander of the Northern Alliance forces here. He's been battling the Taliban on this front for six years and knows the land well.

He told me his tanks and men are in defensive positions now, but he said they're ready to push onto Kabul when the order comes. His fighters say they're poised to take advantage of any U.S. strike on Taliban forces.

(on camera): From this forward position of the Northern Alliance, we're literally 400 meters from the Taliban front line. What's more, just across this rugged patch of no man's land lies Kabul, the devastated capital but still the ultimate prize for many of these Afghan fighters.

(voice-over): Emerging from their Soviet era tank, these troops say they're already fighting the war on terrorism alone. The Taliban are their enemy, but also fighters from Arab states, China and Pakistan, trained, they say, by Osama bin Laden. Overnight, we sat and talked about the battles ahead with or without support from Washington.

We will continue to fight by ourselves, says this Mujahideen. Our fathers here in Afghanistan have fought and died, but they have taught us that we should always battle for our freedom.

Until the U.S. strikes, some outside Afghanistan may see this as a sideshow, even a phony war. But for those fighting on the front line, it couldn't be more real.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHANCE: There are still sporadic clashes continuing across Afghanistan. That's likely to carry on. But everyone here has their mind fully focused on what the United States and its allies will do next. back to you in Atlanta.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Matthew Chance with the Northern Alliance. Thank you very much. Paula.

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