US jets staged night strikes on Tora Bora mountain where al-Qaeda fighters are holding off a siege by Afghan forces.
US fighter bombers flew over the White Mountains in eastern Afghanistan dropping bombs on Tora Bora, which protects a complex of caves and tunnels occupied by Osama bin Laden's fighters.
An AC-130 gunship also flew over the mountain opening fire with its heavy guns from 15:30 (Irish Time). The sound of its engines and guns could be clearly heard by reporters from a hill opposite the mountain.
US jets and gunships have been attacking al-Qaeda positions with increasing intensity over the past 10 days, seeking to destroy the last Afghan stronghold of the group accused of masterminding the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington which left more than 3,000 dead.
AFP