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CNN Live At Daybreak

Northern Alliance Makes Progress Around Town of Mazir-e-Sharif; Kabul Remains Primary Target

Aired November 07, 2001 - 05:12   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We want to go ahead and check in in Afghanistan, where we're getting word that the Northern Alliance has made progress around the town of Mazir-e-Sharif.

Our Kamal Hyder is in the southern part of the country in Kandahar, Afghanistan with the latest -- Kamal, let's go ahead and talk about this march on Mazir-i-Sharif. What's the significance of that?

KAMAL HYDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, Mazir-e-Sharif is of strategic, vital strategic importance to the Northern Alliance because they want to cut open a route to Termez, which is Uzbekistan, where American forces are already stationed. It would open a logistical route to the Northern Alliance from Uzbekistan.

Also very importantly for the Taliban, it could be a make or break situation in the north and they seem to be determined from the reports that we are getting here from soldiers returning home for short leave saying basically that the Taliban morale and capability to hold Mazir is still very strong -- Daryn.

KAGAN: OK, so that's in the north. Give us an update about where you are, in Kandahar, in the south.

HYDER: Here in the south, Daryn, this morning again a B-52 flew over Kandahar. It was visible and seen by us here from the compound. Some anti-aircraft fire from the Taliban artillery was seen but the aircraft way above the target. Later in the afternoon, again, we had air activity. We were told by people coming from the outlying districts that those districts are basically getting special attention of Allied bombers as they look for Taliban forces out in the adjoining areas.

Also last night, we must remember that Kandahar came under intense air activity and what sounded like propeller aircraft and most people here assumed that they were AC-130s targeting the southwest district of Panjway (ph) and those flashes from the explosions were visible last night -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kamal Hyder bringing us the latest from southern Afghanistan.

Kamal, thank you. Now we want to switch over and go to the Pentagon. Yesterday we were telling you about reports of a helicopter crash in a southwestern province of Pakistan. The U.S. military is denying those reports.

Let's get more now from Jeff Levine -- Jeff, good morning.

JEFF LEVINE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn as -- good morning, Daryn.

As we've been reporting, American bombs continue to fall on Taliban front lines. The latest reports indicate that Kabul, the capital city, remains a primary target. However, it's impossible to verify whether or not there have been civilian casualties.

Now, the Pentagon has brought out one of its biggest and fiercest weapons in its battle against the Taliban. In fact, it's called the daisy cutter. But, indeed, this is no shrinking violet. It's the largest conventional bomb in the world.

Now, here's what it looks like in action, as a photograph by Al Jazeera in television in a recent blast near Kabul. The explosion creates a mushroom cloud with flames reaching up to 1,000 feet. Technically known as the BLU-82, the Pentagon says this 15,000 pound giant has a simply but deadly purpose.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. PETER PACE, JOINT CHIEFS VICE CHAIRMAN: And they have a probe that sticks out so when the probe hits the ground they explode about three feet above the ground and as you would expect, they make a heck of a bang when they go off and the intent is to kill people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVINE: The U.S. has used the BLU-82 before in Vietnam and in Desert Storm. It can blow away mine fields and shatter enemy morale. No wonder. The thing is 17 feet long and weighs as much as three SUVs. Only a nuclear bomb packs more power.

Now, here's how the daisy cutter works. It's dropped from a special C-130 cargo plane. A parachute slows the fall so the aircraft can get away from the shock wave.

Near the ground, a mist of aluminum powder is released and it ignites like napalm on detonation.

Now, for someone lucky enough to survive that blast, the net effect, Daryn, is sheer terror.

KAGAN: Jeff, just one thing, what can you tell us about this -- the news of the helicopter crash that we were hearing yesterday? The Pentagon saying it's just not true or misinformation?

LEVINE: Well, they're saying it's a report, that basically it's a story like many rumors that come out of the war. Essentially, as of 24 hours ago, they were saying they had heard nothing about it. It was not a credible source. They were saying that the sorts of reports, unverified comments, come out all the time and the bottom line is they're saying there's nothing to it.

KAGAN: Jeff Levine at the Pentagon -- Jeff, thank you.

LEVINE: You're welcome.

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