A United States B-52 bomber on Wednesday carried out at least two heavy bombing raids on Taliban frontlines 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the Afghan capital Kabul, AFP witnessed.
It was the first time a B-52 has been seen used in raids north of Kabul, where the Taliban have concentrated up to 6,000 hardened fighters.
One plane, flying at high altitude but clearly visible in the clear blue skies over the Shomali plains, flew over the front twice at 12:20 pm and 12:36 pm local time (0750 and 0806 GMT).
After each sortie over Taliban positions, five to six massive plumes of smoke and dust could be seen rising over the frontline area to the south of this Northern Alliance base.
A senior anti-Taliban commander, Amanullah Gozar, told AFP the area hit was a hill-top area between Karabak and Bagram airbase, one of the main battleground sectors north of Kabul.
Gozar said earlier Wednesday, US jets -- probably F-18's -- dropped up to six bombs on Taliban areas in Karabak, Kaloqan, Hossein Kot and Bagram.
In recent days the US has visibly stepped up its bombing of the Taliban frontlines. In the Shomali plains the militia outnumber their Northern Alliance opponents and also control the crucial high ground -- JABAL SERAJ, Afghanistan, (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
