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CNN Live At Daybreak

America Strikes Back: Taliban Continue Artillery Attacks North of Kabul

Aired October 25, 2001 - 06:12   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Our Chris Burns joins us now. He is, once again, in the northern part of Afghanistan, and we say hello to you, Chris.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Leon, some developments in the last few minutes, actually. You're looking at the road to Kabul, which is about 25 miles to the south of here.

Along this road, we just passed by two tanks of the Northern Alliance down toward the front, which is straight down that way. That is also after just after some kind of a mortar or a shell landed just to the right out in the field over there about two miles away. That's because the Taliban are dug into these mountains up above this way, and also back over my shoulder this way.

And if you move over this way toward the mountains here, they are also on that side, and that is where Bagrham Airport is. That is the main point of contention along this front north of Kabul. That's where U.S. airstrikes have been pounding away in the last five days, including before dawn today, apparently to no avail, at least as far as what the Taliban are doing. They continue to strike back with mortar, machine gun and artillery fire. It continues that they fight back.

Also in the north of here in Balk (ph) and Samangan Province, they are resisting Northern Alliance attacks. The Northern Alliance is trying to get to the town of Mazar-e-Sharif. That is the northern stronghold of the Taliban -- unable to get through despite continued U.S. airstrikes. Commanders on the ground are calling -- commanders on the Northern Alliance side are calling for more airstrikes -- more intense airstrikes, so they can move ahead -- Leon.

HARRIS: Chris, there are reports in the press here stateside that perhaps there may be some U.S. aid and some Russian aid flowing into Afghanistan perhaps through Uzbekistan. Have you heard any word at all about perhaps the northern part of the country there being open now for any relief aid to come in?

BURNS: Well, there's both relief and military aid coming through. In fact, the Russians have been selling low-cost military hardware and ammunition to the Northern Alliance, because most of their arsenal is former Soviet hardware. So that would make sense. And they've been getting that from the Russians on an increasing basis in the last few weeks.

Also, in terms of humanitarian aid, they've been getting -- the aid agencies have been trying to ship in thousands of tons of aid and in a race against time, against the winter, and what they're saying is that with this fighting, it is slowing down that process.

Also, they say that U.S. airstrikes are also making it more difficult for them to deliver humanitarian aid.

(CROSSTALK)

HARRIS: Let me ask you one final question this morning. You know, there's been lots of talk about Ramadan coming up. I believe it begins on November 15 or thereabouts. What's the thinking there amongst the troops that you've been following there -- the Northern Alliance? I'm assuming that they would like to see some fighting continue through Ramadan.

BURNS: Absolutely. It doesn't look like Ramadan is going to stop anything from any standpoint. The Northern Alliance intends to continue on with its offensive, and also we're hearing from Washington as well -- Secretary of State Colin Powell saying yesterday that Ramadan will not stop the airstrikes if it is required to continue through that period. That starts in mid-November -- Leon.

HARRIS: Chris Burns in northern Afghanistan -- thank you very much. We'll talk with you later on.

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