MORE AFGHAN CITIES ATTACKED BY US, UK PLANES (New Lead)
LONDON 7 Oct. (IPS) "It is clear and beyond doubt that the terrorist operations against the United States were carried out by Osama Ben Laden and his organisation Al-Qa’eda", announced Mr. Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, confirming attacks on Afghanistan.
He said while the US-led war on the terrorists is aimed at the terrorists, nevertheless, there would be a massive humanitarian help for the Afghan starved people.
Correspondents said the first explosions in Kabol took place at 6.25 pm local time, with electricity going out
"What happened in the United States was an attack on all peace-loving people all over the world, including Muslims", Mr. Blair said in an address from London and as more explosions are reported taking place in Kabol, the Afghan capital, in Qandahar, the headquarter of the Taleban’s supreme leader, Mollah Mohammad Omar Akhoond, but also in Jalalabad and Mazar Sharif, other major cities in the hands of the Taleban, according to reports from correspondents in neighbouring Pakistan.
"These are difficult time for all of us, but we have to respond to terrorist challenges that threaten the entire humanity", Mr. Blair added, confirming the active participation of British forces in today’s attacks.
The joint US, UK military operation on Afghanistan was confirmed minutes ago by President George W. Bush who stressed that the attacks are not against the peace loving people of Afghanistan, but on the bases of "Al Qa’eda", Mr. Ben Laden’s main organization suspected to be behind the 11 September terrorist operations in New York and in Washington D. C.
"America is against terrorists who uses Islam for terrorist activities and would continue its struggle until these people are forced out of their bases and brought to justice", Mr. Bush observed.
Mr. Blair, for his part, confirmed that other countries, namely France, Germany and Australia were also involved in the attacks against Taleban although in "various degree".
French president Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder were informed about the attacks by Mr. Bush minutes before the start of operations.
There was no immediate reaction from officials in Tehran, but the official news agency reported the attack, quoting foreign agencies. ENDS ATTACK ON AFGHANISTAN 71001