Bush announces US strikes
Washington, October 7
President George W. Bush today said the USA and Britain had begun strikes against military installations of Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban and training camps of islamic militant Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network.

A file photo of a US Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. These bombers are among the aircraft that were reportedly used in the attacks on Sunday.  — Reuters

Bush informed Putin, Chirac
Paris, October 7
US President George W. Bush contacted his French counterpart Jacques Chirac today to tell him that the USA was about to launch attacks on Afghanistan, Mr Chirac’s spokeswoman Catherine Colonna said.

Bush talks to Vajpayee
New Delhi, October 7
The US President, Mr George W. Bush, called up Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee at 1730 hrs today and told him that the military strikes on Afghanistan were about to start and also disclosed that the Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist outfit was soon to be included in the US list of banned outfits.

It is ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’
New Delhi, October 7
The long-awaited US-UK joint military strikes at the ruling militia of Afghanistan, the Taliban, began late tonight as sea-launched Cruise missiles targeted and crippled Kabul and Kandahar airports and Jalalabad city where the Taliban are known to be operating at least three terrorist bases, reports received here said.

Osama praises WTC attacks Saudi-born Osama bin Laden is seen in this video footage recorded on Sunday in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad aired by the Qatar-based satellite TV station al-Jazeera 07 October 2001. — AFP photo

Pak freezes Taliban bank accounts Authorities in Pakistan have detained the leader of a pro-Taliban Islamic party, Maulana Fazlur Rehman. (28k, 56k) Top JUI leader under house arrest Islamabad, October 7 In a major blow to Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban regime, Pakistan has frozen 146 bank accounts belonging to the militia’s leading ministers and officials along with three Afghan entities in order to comply with the UN resolutions. “In line with the United Nations resolutions, Pakistan has frozen bank accounts and assets of the top Taliban leaders being maintained in Pakistan banks,” the daily Dawn said today in a Peshawar datelined story.