U.S., Allies Attack Afghanistan

The president said targets included military and intelligence bases belonging to the country’s Taliban rulers and the al-Qaida network of suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden.

Bin Laden is the prime suspect in last month’s attacks on New York and Washington that killed an estimated 5,600 people.

“On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against al-Qaida terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan,” the president said.

“These carefully targeted actions are designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime,” he added.

The president did not specify where inside the country the attacks were taking place.

Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, the Taliban’s envoy to Pakistan, called today’s strikes acts of terrorism.

“We condemn the terrorist act against the Afghan nation,” Zaeef said in a statement. “Afghanistan is the victim of American arrogance and expansionism. It wants to snatch from the Afghan Muslim people the present Islamic system.”

Zaeef added, “these brutal attacks are horrendous, terrorist acts, as inhuman as any in the world. America will never achieve its political goals by launching bestial attacks on the Muslim people of Afghanistan.”

The ambassador told news agencies this afternoon both bin Laden and Taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar are still alive.

Reports from media outlets say a variety of areas inside the country have been targeted.

CNN reports the attacks have destroyed the Taliban’s command base at the airport of Kandahar in the south of Afghanistan. According to CNN, at least two waves of attacks have struck the city — the home Mullah Mohammad Omar.

The network also says the city of Jalalabad is also under attack.

Reuters reports strikes on the Afghani capital of Kabul, saying at least four explosions have rocked the area near the Taliban’s Defense Ministry.

President Bush said today’s strikes are only the beginning of a larger campaign against terrorism.

“Today we focus on Afghanistan,” the president said, “but the battle is broader.”

The U.S. did not ask for this fight, Mr. Bush said, but “we will win it.”

The strikes follow repeated warnings from U.S. officials including the president telling the Taliban to turn over bin Laden or face U.S. strikes.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair last week echoed Mr. Bush’s sentiments, telling the Taliban they must “surrender the terrorists; or surrender power. It’s your choice.”