M A I N   N E W S

Blasts rock Kabul; USA denies hand

Kabul, September 12
Helicopter gunships belonging to opposition troops fired rockets in the vicinity of the Kabul airport early today, hours after the devastating terror attacks in the USA, according to Taliban soldiers and eyewitnesses.

The USA quickly denied any involvement in the violence in Afghanistan, which has been shielding Osama bin Laden, a suspected terrorism mastermind linked by some US officials to yesterday’s attacks in New York and Washington.

Kabul shuddered with the first explosions around 2.30 a.m. (0330 IST). They came in rapid succession, seconds apart. Smoke billowed skyward. An acrid smell of smoke lingered near the airport, where Taliban soldiers erected a barricade.

Less than 1 km from the combined military and civilian airport, sullen Taliban soldiers with Kalashnikov rifles blocked the road, turning cars away. They grunted their orders refused to speak and waved their rifles, ordering vehicles to turn back. AP