American bombers pounded the mountain cave networks near the eastern Afghan village of Tora Bora today after a second surrender deadline passed without any sign of al-Qaida compliance.

With Kandahar in the hands of ethnic Pashtun tribes, the U.S. and anti-Taliban factions are focusing their attack on a series of caves in eastern Afghanistan where hundreds of al-Qaida fighters may be hiding.

Aided by heavy U.S. bombing, anti-Taliban tanks today fired at a vast cave complex in the White Mountains in Tora Bora, where al-Qaida forces are believed to be hiding.

Amid heavy U.S. airstrikes, anti-Taliban troops battled for control of the airport outside the southern city of Kandahar. Meanwhile in the north, factional fighting prompted the United Nations to pull out of the region.