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CNN Live Event/Special

America Strikes Back: Afghanistan Still Assessing the Damage

Aired October 08, 2001 - 06:25   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: Now we're going to take you live to Kamal Hyder and get the latest on the situation in eastern Afghanistan.

Kamal, what's the latest from there?

KAMAL HYDER, JOURNALIST: Hello, Catherine.

People are still assessing the damage here in the city of Jalalabad. It is not very, very CARLSON: ear whether there were any serious casualties because in most cases they hit alleged terrorist camps being operated by the al Qaeda group. They are spread across the city and no part of the city was hit. However, reports from Kandahar indicate that there were casualties at the housing compound of Mullah Omar where a segment of the population is totally civilian -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Kamal, we have heard, Kamal, word of many demonstrations going on there. What about people fleeing the areas?

HYDER: Well, we have confirmation that people have taken their families out again. It must be remembered that a few days ago they brought their families into the city knowing full well or they were feeling more secure that a civilian population would not be targeted. But the huge expositions around the cities basically unnerved a lot of the civilian population and after moving into the cities, they're back on the road and back on the move -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Kamal, could you describe the scene there? Give us an idea, is it a sense of chaos there -- uneasiness?

HYDER: Well, from where we are we do not see any signs of panic and people are more or less staying indoors. More and more people are staying away from going to the bazaars. Business has almost finished. Shops and all are closed. And of course -- but in the villages people are staying put. They have stocked up on food and they are wondering what happens next because most people are anticipating a ground defense there for some reason.

CALLAWAY: And, Kamal, what type of information, if any, is getting to the -- to the people of Afghan?

HYDER: Well, they are still listening to the radio services. They are listing to radio Sariot, which is the official mouthpiece of the Taliban. They are listening to the Voice of America and the BBC so they're fairly well informed. Most people are glued to their radios. They're sitting in corners. Most people focused totally on these little Chinese radio sets over here -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, Kamal Hyder from inside Afghanistan, thank you very much.

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