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CNN Sunday Morning

U.S. Bombs Reportedly Cause More Civilian Casualties

Aired October 28, 2001 - 08:01   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.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: We're now going to get an update on the U.S. bombing campaign from Kathleen Koch, who's at the Pentagon for us this morning -- good morning, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Jeanne.

Well, we are engaged now in what is the fourth -- beginning of the fourth week of the U.S. bombing campaign over Afghanistan. And U.S. aircraft are reported by witnesses on the ground to be engaged in some of the heaviest strikes yet.

First, over the city of Kandahar, aircraft have been circling there since mid-morning, targeting areas west of the city. Early morning raids, meanwhile, focused on the northern outskirts of Kabul and the area around Bagram Airport. Now, the allies are hoping, there, to find Taliban positions north of town. Meanwhile, the Northern Alliance is hoping that strikes there will pave the way for their taking over the city.

Now there is word that the Northern Alliance, as well as some moderate Arab allies, are concerned about the pace of U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. But the Pentagon is counseling patience. The Pentagon, also in this effort, is dropping upwards of 300 bombs a day. And so both today, and reportedly yesterday, some of those strikes have gone astray.

This morning, reportedly in the northern area of Kabul, there were some civilian casualties. Also on Saturday there were several villages in the northern area along the front controlled by the Northern Alliance where, reportedly, bombs again missed their targets, killing three and injuring as many as 17.

Now, at this point the Pentagon cannot confirm any of those bombs missing their targets, and has not offered up any sort of explanation. But later on this morning Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will be appearing on "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER." And, of course, we expect at that point to hear more about the ongoing strikes and more about these potential misses -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Kathleen, any sense of what Rumsfeld's message of the day will be?

KOCH: At this point, it is, stay the course. We are, as I reported, hearing some of these rumblings that there are those who would like to see this campaign wrap up quickly. That they are distressed by hearing reports that this may linger on into the holy month of Ramadan and beyond.

But what we are hearing from the Pentagon is that it will be pursuing this campaign as long as is necessary. And, again, the ultimate desire being finding Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Kathleen Koch at the Pentagon. Thank you.

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