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CNN Sunday Morning

U.S. Bombing Continues for Third Day on Zawar Kili

Aired January 13, 2002 - 07:08   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now, once again, back to Afghanistan for more on the latest air strikes. We're going to go to CNN's Kamal Hyder. He's on the ground near the Afghan-Pakistani border.

Hello, Kamal.

KAMAL HYDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, again, this morning and throughout the day for the third consecutive day, the bombing has continued on the Zawar Kili. Now, this area has three other camps in the proximity, one, the Salman Farsi Brigade, second, the Jihad Wal (ph) Brigade and third, the Zawar complex itself. All within proximity, not too far from each other and they have been -- they renewed source of increased attacks, continuous attacks.

We are told, also, by people coming across from Khowst that the situation in Khowst and Gardez is completely normal, a semblance of normality returning there, but the attention on Zawar Kili and this area is intense. And every night, for the last three days and throughout the day, bombing continuing on this area.

Also, it must be remembered that this is an area where the Pakistan military forces are also deployed on the Pakistani side of the border to stop any infiltrators from coming into Pakistan, including Pakistan terrorists wanted by the authorities, such as, Riayd Batra (ph), on whose head there is a very big price. So the Pakistani authorities also on the high alert. In some cases, just 1,000 meters from where the bombing is taking place -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Kamal, are these air strikes at all preventing the rebuilding process of Afghanistan and the work wanting to be done by the new government?

HYDER: Well, the new government is certainly committed to trying to get Afghanistan back on its feet. And we are getting very positive indications from Khowst and from Kandahar and from different areas, very positive indications that the people are true with the models, that the people want to rebuild Afghanistan, that they want to have respect of the international community.

And we're getting positive signals from across the border, even here in Khowst. People in Khowst are saying that there's no looting going on. There are no barricades and that the people want to give Mr. Karzai a chance. So Karzai is gaining popularity amongst the Pashtun belt and that is the critical belt, which will decide the future stability of Afghanistan -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And Kamal, as these air strikes continue, is there any way to gage how many of these pockets of al Qaeda and Taliban fighters still exist, hiding out in these certain areas?

HYDER: Well, it's very difficult to say because the numbers were never clear and it was never clear how many were buried alive in those tunnels. So it is very difficult -- it will be difficult for anybody to assess that, but one thing is for sure, that they have been on the run and that they are cornered in certain places and there's no place for them to run.

Some stories also now coming up that Osama bin Laden, if he was indeed in the Tora Bora area, that he would have fled north instead of south, which would take him to the mountains of Barakshon (ph) -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Kamal Hyder, via videophone, thank you so much.

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