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CNN Saturday Morning News

Fighting Continues Near Tora Bora

Aired December 08, 2001 - 10:16   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Near Tora Bora Afghanistan, fighting continues as anti-Taliban and American forces zero in on the suspected hideout of Osama bin Laden. Meanwhile, in Kabul, humanitarian aid is making its way into the city.

CNN's Harris Whitbeck joins us live from Kabul with more on that and the continued assault in eastern Afghanistan -- Harris.

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, as you said, heavy fighting continues near the White Mountains in Tora Bora with U.S. B- 52 bombers flying continuously in the region. Mortar fire and loud explosions were heard throughout the day, echoing in the hills and large fireballs could be seen. The U.S. heavy bombing appears to be focused on an al Qaeda mortar position. There has been some speculation that Osama bin Laden, himself, might be directing al Qaeda's defense of its network of underground caves and tunnels in the mountains.

One senior tribal commander said today that intercepted radio conversations mentioned "a tall man on horseback", who was referred to as "The Sheik," which is an al Qaeda reference to bin Laden.

Meanwhile, the mostly Pashtun Eastern Alliance continued to engage Taliban forces in the area. The effort there is to route out any Taliban forces or members of al Qaeda from this underground network of caves and tunnels.

Meanwhile, on the humanitarian front, the president of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, agreed to reopen the Friendship Bridge between his country and Afghanistan. Humanitarian organizations say the bridge is crucial to delivering aid to tens of thousands of Afghans facing starvation as winter closes in. The decision to reopen the bridge came after a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Here in Kabul, the World Food Program delivered sacks of wheat to thousands of needy families after a survey conducted earlier this week revealed that 1.3 million people in the capital need help to make it through the winter. Food distribution is expected to continue in the coming weeks -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, CNN's Harris Whitbeck reporting live from Kabul. Thanks very much.

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