<

Air Campaign Slows on Muslim Holy Day
Saturday, October 13, 2001
The Associated Press

... strikes have a paved the way for freer movement of Allied troops ...

KABUL, Afghanistan -- AP
Airstrikes dropped off sharply Friday over Afghanistan, with U.S. allies signaling a slowing in the 6-day-old campaign of aerial bombardment during weekend Muslim holidays.

Warplanes fired a series of missiles before dawn Friday north of Kabul. But there were no immediate reports of attacks near other main Afghan cities Friday -- in contrast to heavy raids the night before.

Navy officials aboard the USS Enterprise in the Arabian Sea said they were halting bombing raids from the aircraft carrier because it was Friday, the main Muslim prayer day. Planes continued to conduct flights over Afghanistan, however.

In London, a senior British defense official, Lewis Moonie, said strikes were likely to decrease in the next few days because of a Muslim festival commemorating the mystical journey by the Prophet Muhammad to heaven, known as the Night Journey or the Ascent. The holiday is celebrated on different days around this time across the Islamic world.
(More: The Dominion Post News Source)
1996-2001 © The Dominion Post.

Dan