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CNN Saturday Morning News

Airstrikes Pound Tora Bora

Aired December 15, 2001 - 11:01   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 in Afghanistan, where al Qaeda forces are dug in against blistering attacks from the air and ground. U.S. warplanes have rained bombs on their mountain positions, and anti-Taliban forces say they're cutting off their escape routes.

CNN's Jim Clancy is in Kabul. He's got the latest developments from that region.

Jim, good to see you.

JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you, Kyra, and there are developments coming out of the Tora Bora region. As you noted, there are some people saying now the very last bastion of the al Qaeda fighters there in the White Mountains of eastern Afghanistan. That last bastion showing signs of crumbling under the pressure of U.S. air strikes which continued throughout the day, setting in some cases the forest surrounding area on fire. Huge fireballs coming up from those strikes.

At the same time, on the ground the fighters, the local fighters there that have been lined up against the al Qaeda forces are also making some gains and they are reporting they're hearing radio traffic among the al Qaeda fighters, Chechens and Arabs, discussing whether or not to surrender.

Some of those that have been captured, there have been about 50 in all we understand, although the figures are very hard to verify. Some of those captured say that some of the commanders, al Qaeda commanders, are leaving the area trying to escape into Pakistan, those routes being closed up. The Pakistanis say they have that border under control, and any fighters trying to cross there will be arrested. However, it is a very porous, mountainous border region there.

So as that fight continues, we had some gunfire here in the capitol city overnight. That fire though, so-called happy fire, marking Eid al-Fitr, the beginning of celebrations at the end of the Holy month of Ramadan.

People here had been to the shops throughout the day, spending what money that they had to buy sweets and food for feast. They say that they are really looking forward to this celebration, this Eid al- Fitr, because during the five years of Taliban rule, they never were able to have music, for instance. They weren't able to party as they normally would for an Eid al-Fitr. As one described it: "We celebrated, but we celebrated like birds in a cage" -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Wow. Jim Clancy, we'll see you again in just about half an hour. You're going to join us for e-mail questions. We have a lot for you. Thanks, so much.

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