The United States has carried out day and night attacks on targets in Afghanistan, as it continues efforts to destroy the military infrastructure of suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden.
Anti-aircraft fire erupted from the Afghan capital, Kabul Tuesday evening. Taleban officials also say U.S. planes targeted the northwestern city Herat and the southern city of Kandahar. Taleban troops responded with anti-aircraft missiles. The nighttime attacks follow a daylight raid on Kandahar, which is Taleban headquarters.
U.S. and British forces began the air campaign against Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida network shortly after dark Sunday in Afghanistan. Mr. bin Laden is accused of masterminding September's attacks in the United States.
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the American-led attacks have damaged air defenses to the point that raids can be flown around the clock. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General Richard Myers, says air strikes Sunday and Monday damaged or destroyed about 85 percent of Taleban and al-Qaida network targets throughout Afghanistan.
Taleban officials say the strikes have killed dozens of people in several Afghan cities. They say the home of Mullah Omar, the Taleban's spiritual leader, was hit while he was away. Osama bin Laden is also reported to be alive.