Pentagon releases photos of bombed targets

Joint chief of staff General Richard Myers claimed they showed the initial strikes had been successful.

The Pentagon has released pictures of Afghan targets it says were hit during the first two bombing raids.

Joint chief of staff General Richard Myers claimed they showed the initial strikes had been successful.

He has shown pictures of a terrorist training camp south east of Kandahar, an airfield and a surface-to-air missile site. All appeared to have been destroyed or severely damaged.

A picture of the Shindand Airfield after the attacks shows where missiles have apparently accurately hit the runway at various points.

READ MORE

Mr Myers said: "I want to stress that all the Kabul targets were outside of the town. We did well in our initial strikes. We were not perfect."

General Myers also said barracks used by Taliban soldiers had been targeted but said no assessment of the damage was available.

Defence Secretary Mr Donald Rumsfeld said he had "no information" about the four UN security guards reportedly killed in Kabul by an explosion caused by an American weapon.

"Innocent lives are still at risk today and will be until we have dealt with the terrorists. If there were an easy, safe way to root terrorists out of states that harbour them, it would be a blessing, but there is not," he said.

The releasing of the pictures came as it was revealed British involvement on the third night of air strikes has so far been limited to RAF tankers refuelling US planes in mid-air.

AP