Military

DATE=10/17/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-2381890

TITLE= AFGHAN ATTACKS (L)

BYLINE= JON TKACH

DATELINE= ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO:

Thunderous explosions have been shaking Kabul and

several other Afghan cities, as the American-led raids aimed at

flushing out Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist

network continue. As V-O-A's Jon Tkach (pron: KOTCH)

reports from Islamabad, the Taleban's ambassador to

Pakistan is saying the movement's leader remains

unscathed.

TEXT :

The Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press quotes

Ambassador Abdul Salaam Zaeef as denying reports of

rifts within the Taleban leadership. He says the

Taleban's position on suspected terrorist Osama bin

Laden has not changed -- meaning they will not turn him

over.

The Taleban official again stresses that the movement's

leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, is still alive -- despite

the continued bombardment of Taleban and al-Qaeda

targets across Afghanistan

Meanwhile, in Washington, the U-S officials

acknowledged the bombing of a Red Cross warehouse --

saying U-S forces did not know the building was still

being used by the aid agency.

But Mario Musa -- the agency's spokesman in Islamabad --

says the building was clearly marked by a red cross.

He says the incident represents a serious setback for

the agency's operations in Afghanistan.

/// MUSA ACTUALITY ///

A number of materials was destroyed. This was

basically non-food items such as blankets, tarps,

plastic sheeting - the things we are distributing to

the internally displaced people.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

Mr. Musa says one of the agency's guards was

injured in the bombing.

Witnesses say intense bombing raids also struck other

parts of the country -- including Kandahar and the

northern town, Mazar-i-Sharif, which anti-Taleban

forces say they are poised to take.

U-S officials say their forces have wiped out many of

the Taleban's key defenses since the start of the

attacks, more than ten days ago. (signed)

NEB/JON/WD