The U.S. strikes involved single heavy bombs thunderously detonating on targets. Each impact lit up small sections of the plain and sent concussions echoing off the surrounding mountains for a full 15 seconds.
American jets could not be seen or heard here, so the bombs fell silently from the sky, their detonations resounding with no warning and their flashes appearing unannounced.
The strikes prompted cheers, songs and excited chatter from scores of Northern Alliance rebel fighters manning mountainside positions in this village 2,000 feet above the strategic Shamali Plain that separates the main Afghan opposition force from Kabul.
“I am happy! The Taliban are our enemies, but America is on our side, fighting terrorists in Afghanistan,” Northern Alliance fighter Almaz told the Reuters news agency. “Now we are happy!”
Since the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, the Northern Alliance has become a major focus of American-led efforts to topple the militant Islamic Taliban government that harbors the accused terrorist, Osama bin Laden.
Indications of close recent coordination between the alliance and the Bush administration were reinforced Sunday when, hours before the bombing started, an alliance leader said the American military action was imminent.
Several hours after the American bombing began, forces of the Northern Alliance, which has been unsuccessfully battling the ruling Taliban since it assumed power five years ago, began firing rocket salvos at Taliban positions.
It was impossible to judge Sunday night what impact the American bombs or the alliance rockets were having, or whether any civilian targets had been struck. There was little evidence of Taliban forces returning fire.
Until midnight, lights could be seen and even an occasional vehicle convoy on the Taliban side of the front line. But after the first several hours of bombing, areas under Taliban control were black, apparently lifeless and empty.
The strikes immediately led to a flow of refugees. At 2:45 a.m. Monday morning, 50 men, women and children were seen fleeing north away from the front line out of the village of Ravat.
They carried their clothes and other belongings on their heads, but made little noise as they rushed out of the area. Rahim Shah, an elderly man whose eyes were wide with fear, said that he and other villagers had been ordered to leave by alliance military commanders. “According to the commander,” he said, “we must leave.”
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It was after a surprisingly detailed prediction of bombing, made by the Northern Alliance’s designated foreign minister, Abdullah, that the U.S.-led offensive began.
He declined to say whether American officials had specifically warned him of the attack or given him details of what was to occur. He simply said that “a very reliable source” had warned him of the impending military action, but added that he had been in touch with American officials “a few hours ago.”
In a broad and confident statement, Abdullah said that bombing was “imminent” and went on to list which cities would be major targets.
He predicted that the Taliban could begin losing control of the country within days.