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CNN Saturday Morning News

U.S. Planes Assault al Qaeda Ground Positions

Aired December 15, 2001 - 09:02   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Eastern Afghanistan, where al Qaeda troops are withering under an intense air assault from the U.S. war planes overhead and some anti-Taliban forces on the ground.

Ben Wedeman in the area among the CNN correspondents covering this in the region. A few moments ago, Ben filed this update from the ground.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Just a little while ago, we saw a very bright flash of light coming from the mountains that are now on my left, and a very large boom. This more indication that the U.S. bombing continues and, in fact, may be intensifying. Throughout the day at very regular intervals, U.S. planes flew over, B-52s, F-14s, possibly F-18s as well, are pounding those hills.

The front lines, however, appear to be relatively quiet. According to my colleagues who went up there today, Nic Robertson and Brent Sadler, there was no incoming fire from the al Qaeda positions, unlike yesterday, when in fact we came under sniper fire. He said that the mujahideen, the Eastern Alliance fighters, are up there collecting firewood, taking advantage of the relative lull in the fighting to get that firewood that we could use here as well, because it is very cold at the moment.

Brent and Nic also said that there were no signs of any surrender from the al Qaeda members. It was originally thought that around noon local time, there would be some sort of surrender, possibly as many as 300 Qaeda members, didn't happen, no signs either of any surrender as well.

Nonetheless, the al Qaeda is obviously active and still up there. I listened in for quite a while this afternoon to radio traffic between al Qaeda members. One interesting point to make is that I overheard some one of the Qaeda members say to another, "Turn to the radio channel of the sheik." Now, "the sheik," some people believe, is a reference to Osama bin Laden. Opinion, of course, remains divided as to whether he's actually up there or not.

I also heard some of the -- some of this radio traffic referring to dwindling supplies of ammunition, and in another instance, just after a U.S. bomb had fallen, I heard an urgent call for medical help and medical assistance. It is known that many of the Qaeda fighters who are in the mountains now have flocked to this area as the Taliban collapsed in the face of the Northern Alliance advances, and also the Eastern Alliance in this area.

But precisely how many there are out there, it's very difficult to say. When I listen in to the radio and I try to talk to these people, I ask them, How many of there are you? and they do not answer that question, just like they do not answer the question of whether bin Laden, Osama bin Laden, is in the hills.

But certainly 300 is probably a low number, and 1,000 probably on the high end.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: All right, Ben Wedeman there on the ground a few moments ago.

In the south now, U.S. Marines have seized control of Kandahar airport without firing a single shot there.

Mike Chinoy now at Camp Rhino, the Marine base that now shifts its focus and firepower to the new foothold in southern Afghanistan.

Here's Mike.

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UNIDENTIFIED MARINE: When we get over there, and you go under condition one, make sure you go and watch (UNINTELLIGIBLE) awareness.

MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Last-minute instructions for the men of India Company as they head out for Kandahar airport, occupied by the Marines but not yet secure.

Throughout the night, troops here at Camp Rhino in the desert south of Kandahar prepared to reinforce those who took the airport the previous day. But their departure was delayed. Marines at the airport identified a potential threat to incoming aircraft. They gave no other details, but flights of troops and supplies were suspended, and soldiers already on the ground moved to investigate and neutralize the danger.

At the same time, other teams have been scouring the airport for mines and booby traps. In the process, they discovered rocket- propelled grenades, mortars, ammunition, and written material left behind by fleeing Taliban and al Qaeda fighters.

With the airport now expected to become the main U.S. base in southern Afghanistan, there's concern it could become a tempting and more easily accessible target.

LT. COL. DAN YOO, U.S. MARINES: It's the unknown factor that you're concerned about, maybe not so much as the large -- the larger forces coming in more of a conventional attack, but the unconventional aspect of it.

CHINOY (on camera): That concern has been heightened by the still-unsettled situation in the city of Kandahar itself, where lawlessness on the streets remains a major problem, and the local authorities have now imposed a nighttime curfew in order to maintain control.

I'm Mike Chinoy with the U.S. Marines in southern Afghanistan.

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