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CNN Live At Daybreak

America Strikes Back: Bombings Pound Taliban

Aired October 23, 2001 - 08:05   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: U.S.-led airstrikes are pounding two key locations: the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan, and Taliban front lines in the north.

An update now on the air attacks from Walt Rodgers, in Islamabad, and Bob Franken, at the Pentagon.

Bob, let's get started with you.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What is going on is that there has been a change in U.S. tactics. There had been complaints from the Northern Alliance that the United States bombers were not hitting hard enough at Taliban positions, stymieing the Northern Alliance.

We came to find out that there was a reason for that, and the reason was a real diplomatic apprehension that a Northern Alliance march on Kabul would not really have a credible government set-up, and that would undermine efforts of the United States to oust the Taliban and to try to stabilize the situation in the country.

But now that is changed. Both reports on the ground suggest that, and it's acknowledged by the defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We are happy and eager and willing to do what we can to help seek out and destroy the Taliban and al Qaeda forces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: One of the things that was pointed out in the briefing, which we saw, also came from the chairman of the Joints of Staff, Richard Myers, who said, We should not look at this war effort in the old-fashioned linear ways, he put it. That is to say that there would be airstrikes then followed by a ground campaign. He says this is what they always call a different kind of war, and it could be a mix like nothing we've seen before -- Paula.

ZAHN: Bob Franken -- thanks so much.

Let's get more on all of this from Walt Rodgers, who is standing by in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Walter, what's the latest from there? Good morning.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

A few moments ago, Abdul Salam Zaeef, the Taliban spokesman and ambassador to Pakistan, concluded a news conference, in which he renewed charges against the United States of terrorism -- in his words -- against the Afghan people for the continuing bombing.

Interestingly, he said nothing further to back up his allegation yesterday that the U.S. airstrikes had hit a hospital in Herat. Not a word further on that. Nothing to back up that claim.

But he did claim that 19 civilians were killed when in the strikes around Kandahar.

Abdul Salam Zaeef also leveled a new charge against the United States: allegations of chemical warfare.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDUL SALAM ZAEEF, TALIBAN AMBASSADOR TO PAKISTAN (through translator): According to the aforementioned (UNINTELLIGIBLE), of those who were taken to the hospitals and those who were injured in those air attacks, there were symptoms of chemicals on their bodies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: There were, indeed, U.S. airstrikes in the Kandahar area, but they appeared to focus on military and economic targets, specifically on an oil depot and oil tankers. The purpose of this appears to have been to cripple any movement of the Taliban military forces, either its armored personnel carriers or any tanks that may be left, thus knocking out the fuel supplies. This, by the way, is driving up fuel prices quite seriously -- at least 30 percent in Afghanistan at this point -- the United States trying to isolate the Taliban forces.

Again, these strikes around Kandahar were where Abdul Salam Zaeef alleged that there were civilian casualties -- no confirmation of that at all independently -- Paula.

ZAHN: Walter, you made it quite clear they were backing off the reports that we all covered yesterday, that the United States had hit this hospital in Herat, where 100 people were killed. And then, on top of that, they had this chemical weapons charge again today. Now, you know and I know the administration of the United States listens to this stuff and says it doesn't even pass the laugh test, it's so absurd.

Who is the Taliban talking to when they are doing these news conferences?

RODGERS: They're clearly talking to the Islamic world, Paula, because these charges are not as scrutinized in papers in the Arab countries and in countries like Pakistan as they are here. One very interesting point I'd like to add. Abdul Salam Zaeef said in that news conference a brand new accusation: He said Russia, Iran, and India are now trying to carve up Afghanistan, to suit their own political interests. This is Pakistan's worst nightmare, that is to say a de facto partition of Afghanistan.

Russia clearly has an interest in this. It's backing the anti- Taliban Northern Alliance. Russia wants a buffer zone in northern Afghanistan, to staunch the flow of Islamic fundamentalists northward into southern Russia.

Iran has an interest in this. Iran wants to be the conduit for oil and gas supplies out of Central Asia. So a weak and perhaps partitioned Afghanistan serves Iran's purpose.

And of course, the Indian claim is anything that frightens and alarms the Pakistanis is good for India -- Paula.

ZAHN: Walter Rodgers, thanks for putting that into perspective for us this morning -- appreciate it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ZAHN: We've talked a lot this morning about the ongoing air campaign against Afghanistan.

Let's quickly go to Chris Burns, who is standing by in northern Afghanistan with the latest from there -- Chris.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Paula, it's extremely tense here at the front. We're seeing two kinds of action going on. The U.S. airstrikes, another third day of U.S. airstrikes along this front line between here and Kabul.

Over my shoulder is where that front line is. We hear another U.S. war jet flying overhead. We're wondering whether it will be dropping another set of bombs.

Also at the same time, we've been seeing a Katyusha rocket unit of the Northern Alliance firing several rounds over here. Behind this tree over here is a Katyusha rocket unit that has been firing up toward the hill here; that's the road toward Kabul. We're hearing more rounds of gunfire out in that direction -- that sounds like more AAA fire. That's about 25 miles to the south, at Kabul. So that situates you where we are exactly.

If you sweep up toward the mountainside over there, that is where some smoke is rising from several places. That's where the Katyusha rockets were fired up. That is where the Taliban are. So we're surrounded on three sides by the Taliban.

Taliban up on the mountainsides earlier today fired at least one rocket into a nearby town, Charikar, killing at least two people in that town. That is a town we reported about in recent days, a town that is living on the doorstep of this conflict. So we're hearing still another U.S. war jet flying overhead -- waiting to see what that does. Also, airstrikes in the north, in Samangan and Balkh Provinces, aimed at supporting, also, the Northern Alliance trying to approach Mazar-e-Sharif. That is a Taliban-held stronghold, the biggest city in northern Afghanistan that the Northern Alliance is trying to fight to get to.

But both on that front and on this front, we're seeing some very, very heavy resistance from the Taliban, despite those airstrikes. So that's why Northern Alliance commanders are saying they need a lot more of these airstrikes, to try to make any progress on the ground -- Paula.

ZAHN: Chris, I was struck by how casually you referred to the AAA fire over your left shoulder. What does that mean exactly?

BURNS: That's anti-aircraft fire. That is what the Taliban have been trying to throw up at the jets flying overhead. Apparently, they're not very effective. It doesn't appear that they are very sophisticated so that they're able to follow what appear to be F-18 fighter jets swooping overhead. So it doesn't appear they're very effective at all.

Also what we've been hearing, other fire we've been hearing, aside from the Katyushas -- you might hear one in the next few minutes -- there has been a lot of heavy machine gun, mortar, and artillery fire by day and by night along this front. And that's what's been continuing despite those airstrikes.

It appears that the resistance on the Taliban side has yet to be reduced, despite those airstrikes over the last few days. Those airstrikes did signify a new phase in this U.S.-led air campaign, now striking at Taliban troop positions, to try to encourage the Northern Alliance forces to move ahead on the ground -- Paula.

ZAHN: Our primary concern, of course, is your security. Please stay safe there, Chris. Thank you for that report.

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