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CNN Live Sunday

Afghan Fighters Say They Defeated al Qaeda at Tora Bora

Aired December 16, 2001 - 18:00   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: As we mentioned, Afghan fighters say it's all over for al Qaeda fighters in Tora Bora, but U.S. commanders are more cautious about the situation.

One thing is clear, the enemy is suffering heavy losses. CNN's Nic Robertson is near Tora Bora. He files this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Already today, there have been intense bombing raids, B-52 bombers dropping bombs on the ridges in the mountains just behind me. The al Qaeda forces are being moved slowly southward towards the border with Pakistan.

On the ground, the forces of Hazrat Ali, a local commander, have been also pushing the al Qaeda forces further back. Hazrat Ali says that his forces recently have killed 16 al Qaeda members. He says they have captured nine Afghan fighters and three Arab fighters.

He also said that they had killed one man he described as a Chechen commander. We have been listening as well to the radio intercepts of the al Qaeda forces. After the bombing raids, we can hear them calling out to their colleagues to see who is alive. We can also hear them talking about they're running low on ammunition, and about casualties in the mountains.

Without being there and being able to see the al Qaeda forces, it's very difficult to know how they're faring under this intense bombardment. But what is clear is the area they're operating in is being greatly reduced, and overnight last night some of the most intense bombing we had seen. The night sky lighting up red with huge multiple flashes on the ridge lines, as multiple bombs were dropped along those -- along the mountains.

The al Qaeda forces, according the Hazrat Ali, are not surrendering themselves at the moment. He said any talk they've made about surrendering has been lies, and essentially what they're trying to do is buy time and try and escape away through the mountains.

Nic Robertson, CNN, near Tora Bora, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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