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CNN Sunday Morning

Eastern Alliance Troops Find Tora Bora Deserted

Aired December 16, 2001 - 10:01   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's begin now in eastern Afghanistan, where anti-Taliban troops say they've plunged into al Qaeda territory and found it deserted. It's unclear where Osama bin Laden's troops have gone and whether this signals a complete collapse of the al Qaeda defenses.

CNN's Walter Rodgers joins us now from Tora Bora with the latest. Hello Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello Kyra, U.S. warplanes have resumed dropping their bombs in the Tora Bora region of eastern Afghanistan this evening. This despite claims from two Eastern Alliance commanders earlier in the day here that in fact the al Qaeda had been driven out of that area. We have heard bombs dropping after a lull this afternoon, more than half-a-dozen in the last 30 minutes. Bombs dropping along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, quite a distance. The bombs used to be falling closer to us than they are now. They are now probably seven or eight miles distant, as I say; very close to the Pakistan border, perhaps in the fear that some of the al Qaeda might be trying to flee to Pakistan.

Earlier today, of course, one of the Eastern Alliance leaders, Hazrat Ali, came out and claimed that his forces had driven al Qaeda out of the region. He said he could not find Osama bin Laden, but he declared that his forces had won a big victory over the Taliban and al Qaeda.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAZRAT ALI, EASTERN ALLIANCE COMMANDER (through translator): I don't have any specific information about where being of Osama bin Laden, but I can tell you that right now we don't know about any exact whereabouts of Osama bin Laden. Well, I don't...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: The Eastern Alliance forces have been conducting a three to four day campaign in the Tora Bora mountain region driving up two separate valleys on two separate offensive, upwards of 2,000 troops, again, trying to drive out the al Qaeda forces.

They claim they have gone into the cave complex where the bin Laden people and the Taliban forces were supposed to be hiding. They said they could not find anyone. They claim they have killed over 200 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters and they also say they have 35 al Qaeda prisoners in the process. They do not have Osama bin Laden. They claim that he has fled the area -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Walter Rodgers live from Tora Bora. We'll check in with you again. Thank you.

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