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CNN Live At Daybreak

Fighting Heats Up in Tora Bora

Aired December 05, 2001 - 06:01   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Well anti-Taliban forces are digging in. They're trading fire with al Qaeda fighters in Tora Bora. As we've told you, it is believed that Osama bin Laden might be hiding in those mountains in the Tora Bora region. Let's go to CNN's Jim Clancy. He has the latest from Kabul, Afghanistan -- Jim.

JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon from Afghanistan's capital. Well as you say, there is believed to be a very fierce battle shaping up south of Jalalabad in the east of Afghanistan in the White Mountains, as they are called. Tora Bora, an area where the U.S. and local commanders believe there is a network of caves and reinforced tunnels. There, they are used by al Qaeda fighters. Is Osama bin Laden among his supporters there? No one knows the exact answer to that question.

Still, the fight appears to be getting -- moving forward in earnest. Tanks have been moved up there attacking. CNN's Brent Sadler reported a short while ago the journalists have been cleared out of that area as the battle shapes up. Now U.S. airstrikes also being used, unclear whether there's direct coordination, but according to Brent a little bit earlier, the -- both the local fighters on the ground and the U.S. bombers in the skies above appear to be pinpointing the very same targets.

How easily this may fall, no one knows exactly. But clearly the noose is tightening as the Pentagon and others have been saying for some time and it is now known, of course, that the al Qaeda fighters at least are there -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Jim, we hear reports that some massive troop movements there -- some two to 3,000 mujahideen have moved into that region. What are you hearing?

CLANCY: Well what we're hearing is basically what we're getting from Brent Sadler and others right on the scene, it appears that knowing that the al Qaeda fighters are in one specific area, the local commanders are now moving their troops into position. Earlier those local commanders had reported that the al Qaeda fighters had actually withdrawn from some positions, perhaps looking for some better defensive area to take up new positions.

Now those local commanders have taken over bringing in their fighters, once again, narrowing the area where it is believed that the al Qaeda supporters are located. There had been reports within the last 24 hours that some senior members of the al Qaeda organization -- the right-hand man perhaps Osama bin Laden had been killed in U.S. airstrikes. So we're continuing to monitor that situation -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right thank you. CNN's Jim Clancy joining us from Kabul. Thanks Jim.

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