URGENT: US AND UK ATTACK AFGHANISTAN

PARIS 7 Oct. (IPS)    The United States and Britain have started attacks on Afghanistan, CNN reported, confirmed by the US Defence Department.

In a statement pronounced from the White House, President George W. Bush said he had warned several times the Taleban to end terrorism and hand over Osama Ben Laden, the prime suspect behind the 11 September terrorist operations.

He emphasised that the attacks were not against the people of Afghanistan, but on Mr. Ben Laden's Al Qa'eda organisation.

First information coming from the region say explosions were heard in both Kabol, the Afghan capital and in Qandahar, where lives Mollah Mohammad Akhound, the Taleban supreme leader.

Forces of the anti-Taleban Northern Alliance have also launched heavy attacks against Taleban positions, according to the reports.

A Northern Alliance had said that the US had told them to stop flights and urge people in Kabol and other major Afghan cities to evacuate all places near military bases and airports. ENDS ATTACK ON AFGHANISTAN 71001