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CNN Live At Daybreak

America Strikes Back: Heavy Bombing in Kandahar Forces Evacuations

Aired October 11, 2001 - 07:01   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: Also, hundreds of people evacuate southern Afghanistan following the heaviest night of U.S.-led air strikes. We have exclusive tape of the panic on the ground. And loud explosions were seen and heard rocking Kandahar over a two hour period. Targets included military fuel depots, barracks and heavy armor.

U.S. government officials have confirmed that military personnel have arrived on the ground in Pakistan and Americans have been granted use of several Pakistani air bases.

CNN's Tom Mintier joins us now from Islamabad and he has more updates for us now -- good morning, Tom.

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

We probably won't know until the Pentagon releases the figures on how many sorties they flew last night. But from the first blush, it looks like it was a lot. When you look at the situation in and around Kabul and Kandahar, not just overnight but during the day, it was a visual display of bombs, heavy bombs exploding in both cities basically throughout the night and into the day as the U.S. military led coalition apparently has full control of the skies and has the ability to bomb at will either during the night or in the day.

At one point, even in Kandahar, the Taliban commander telling his anti-aircraft battery not to bother firing at the military jets overhead, that they were simply too high to reach. And some chilling tape out of Kandahar at (AUDIO GAP) of what may be going on on the ground there in Kandahar. You see the population gathering together what personal belongings they can and hurriedly leaving the city. Reportedly in Kandahar from CNN sources that a very intense day of bombing, as well, and some secondary explosions as an ammunition dump was apparently hit and that sent ammunition flying through the city.

So a very, very heavy night and day in both Kandahar and Kabul and people apparently on the move in scenes reminiscent of Cambodia and Phnom Penh in 1975 where you see people basically fleeing for their lives.

Also today, the Taliban's ambassador to Pakistan criticizing the Pentagon and the U.S. government, saying they were guilty of atrocities by the bombing campaign that is being launched, accusing the United States of not just targeting the military, but civilians, as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDUL SALAM ZAEEF, TALIBAN AMBASSADOR TO PAKISTAN: The people of Afghanistan who have been serially evicted by 20 years war, drought, sanctions and poverty are now facing American air raids. Is this not cowardice intervention on the part of a superpower? Ironically, Afghanistan has been a battle ground of rivalries and showdown of foreign powers. The present game is more about oil and natural resources of Central Asia rather than Osama.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MINTIER: As you alluded to in the beginning, Paula, there is the possibility that U.S. military personnel and equipment may be on the ground in Pakistan. Pakistani government officials will only say that this is part of what has been promised to the United States, the use of their air space, intelligence information and logistical support, saying if, indeed, there are U.S. military personnel and equipment here, it's not for offensive action against Afghanistan, but simply logistical support of the operations -- Paula.

ZAHN: Tom Mintier, thanks so much for that report.

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