October 07th, 2001 Posted: 1900 GMT

President George Bush said today that the US, with Britain's help, had begun military strikes against military installations of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban and training camps of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network.
The private, Islamabad-based Afghan Islamic press agency quoted the Taliban as saying American planes had bombed areas near Kabul airport in the northern part of the city. The strikes are in retaliation for attacks on the US on September 11, when some 6,000 people died after hijacked planes were crashed into the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington.

The agency said there were no details of casualties and no reports of damage to the city itself. It added, however, that "huge smoke is rising near Kabul airport".

US officials said the attack began with volleys of cruise missiles fired from US and British ships at air defences and al-Qaida camps.

In his televised address to the nation, Mr Bush said America was "supported by the will of the world" as it launched its long-awaited strikes against the Taliban. Mr Bush spoke as explosions rocked the Afghan capital, Kabul. The Taliban had been given a clear ultimatum two weeks ago, the president said. (Full text »)

"None of those demands were met and now the Taliban will pay a price," he added. The terrorist forces would attempt to hide from the onslaught but would find no shelter, Mr Bush vowed. He warned of a long war ahead but said: "We will win this conflict through the patient accumulation of successes."

President Bush also signalled that the war on terror would not end with the attack on Afghanistan. "Every nation has a choice to make in this conflict. There is no neutral ground," he said.