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Anti Taliban forces claim advance in Tora Bora
Anti-Taliban forces have captured some cave-riddled hills in eastern Afghanistan, killing 22 foreign fighters loyal to fugitive Osama bin Laden, a spokesman said on Thursday.
Anti-Taliban forces have captured some cave-riddled hills in eastern Afghanistan, killing 22 foreign fighters loyal to fugitive Osama bin Laden, a spokesman said on Thursday.
Mohammad Amin, a spokesman for Hazrat Ali, leading local fighters in pursuit of the Saudi-born militant, said by satellite telephone from Jalalabad that bin Laden might have fled to the Spin Ghar mountains west of the Tora Bora area.
"We found the bodies of 22 foreign supporters of Osama in a couple of caves and areas which we took overnight and yesterday afternoon," Amin said. "We believe that Osama may have already left Tora Bora for the Spin Ghar mountains."
He said fighting was raging in several areas of Tora Bora, a rugged district about 55 km (35 miles) south of the eastern city of Jalalabad, amid heavy U.S. air strikes in support of the anti-Taliban forces. "It is very intense fighting," Amin said.
About 2,000 anti-Taliban fighters set out from Jalalabad on Tuesday to hunt down bin Laden and the mainly Arab fighters of his al Qaeda network. Bureau Report
"We found the bodies of 22 foreign supporters of Osama in a couple of caves and areas which we took overnight and yesterday afternoon," Amin said. "We believe that Osama may have already left Tora Bora for the Spin Ghar mountains."
He said fighting was raging in several areas of Tora Bora, a rugged district about 55 km (35 miles) south of the eastern city of Jalalabad, amid heavy U.S. air strikes in support of the anti-Taliban forces. "It is very intense fighting," Amin said.
About 2,000 anti-Taliban fighters set out from Jalalabad on Tuesday to hunt down bin Laden and the mainly Arab fighters of his al Qaeda network. Bureau Report