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CNN Sunday Morning

Civilian Casualties Reported After Latest U.S. Bombing Raids

Aired October 28, 2001 - 09:08   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 going to go back to Kathleen Koch, who's at the Pentagon for us this morning to fill us in on the latest on the military campaign.

Good morning Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Jeanne.

U.S. aircraft continue pummeling Afghanistan as week number four of the bombing campaign begins. Most of the action that we have seen over the last day has been over the two cities of Kabul and Kandahar.

Now, Kabul saw early morning raids by aircraft like F-18s taking off from the USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea, then heading to that city and targeting areas north of the city, targeting areas -- military targets near the Bagram Airport. Again, that's to the north of Kabul.

But in that particular strike, journalists on the ground, though, report that apparently, perhaps at least one of those weapons may have gone astray. They say they say at least -- bodies of six civilians on the ground there near Kabul.

And to the south in Kandahar, aircraft have been circling that city since mid-morning, targeting areas to the west of Kandahar, flying low, apparently less concerned now about control of the skies, less concerned about the threat from any stinger aircraft.

The Northern Alliance, at least it's being reported, and also some moderate Arab allies, are concerned about the pace of the current campaign, and would like to see these bombing raids wrap up soon. But the Pentagon says this campaign can not be rushed.

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REAR ADM. JOHN STUFFLEBEEM, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: Since we have this responsibility to defend ourselves and have built a campaign to be able to do that, the last thing we want to do is to overdrive our own headlights in trying to achieve an objective before it is ready to be consumed.

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KOCH: Pentagon officials say that they have heard these reports of bombs, both in Kabul missing their mark -- bombs yesterday in cities in northern Afghanistan controlled by the Northern Alliance, very close to the front there, just 1.2 miles from the front, hitting some residential areas there and killing perhaps as many as three people, wounding 17.

The Pentagon says, again, it's seen those reports, but they cannot, at this point, be confirmed. Though the Pentagon does point out that its humanitarian effort throughout Afghanistan, and right now particularly in the north, continue. Two C-17s dropping yesterday some 34,000 humanitarian daily rations, bringing the total now since the beginning of the campaign to some 890,000.

We'll be hearing more on the Defense Department's continuing efforts in Afghanistan later this morning when Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld appears on "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER" -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Kathleen, as you mentioned, some of our allies in this matter have said they want to see the pace picked up. Is there any fear being expressed at the Pentagon that this international coalition may splinter?

KOCH: Obviously the international coalition is very fragile, and that is indeed truly the purview of the State Department, to try to hold it together. But again, what the Pentagon is signaling is that the efforts here in the military campaign will continue until the job is done, even if that requires the campaign continuing into the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and beyond -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Kathleen Koch at the Pentagon, thank you.

KOCH: You're welcome.

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