US military strikes against Afghanistan and Sudan targets in self defense
Sudan-USA, Military, 8/20/1998

The US President Bill Clinton announced that the United States launched military attacks on military bases in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is a host for military bases where the Saudi millionaire Osama Bin Laden has taken refuge, and is involved in supporting the Afghan Taleban forces in their civil war for control of Afghanistan. Bin Laden has been accused of being involved in supporting Islamist militants, and terrorist operations.

"I ordered our armed forcers to strike at terrorists in Afghanistan and Sudan," the US President said today, adding that, "Today we have struck back" because "We had convincing evidence of their involvement" in the latest bombing attacks of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

Clinton said the groups had been involved in previous attacks on US installations and "they were planing additional attacks." He added that a chemical-related facility in Sudan was also struck saying "they (terrorists) are seeking chemical weapons."

US Defense Minister William Cohen stated that the attacks "are part of a continuing efforts do defend US citizens" adding that "there will be no sanctuary" for the terrorists.

The attack occurred at 7:30 p.m. local time on the Sudan Khartoum chemical facilities in order to minimize civilian damage. The facility according to the US manufactures chemical and precursor agents for nerve-agent weapons. Cohen said that Bin Laden "contributed" to the plant and "had an interest in acquiring chemical weapons."

Sudan faces severe sanction from the US and is on the US list of terrorist countries. Sudan's interior minister in a telephone interview with CNN said, "We have no chemical weapons."

The other attack on six sites in one complex in Afghanistan was executed at 10:00 p.m. The facilities, said the U.S.A. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Hugh Shelton, are for training, indoctrination, housing, administrative work, and command and control. The US is refusing to give operational detail about how the strike was carried out only to say that the US was the only party in executing the attack. Shelton said that the US is dealing with a different kind of enemy than that in the Gulf War, and that is the reason for the lack of details.

Shelton said the Afghanistan complex could have contained up to 600 people, though no specific figures were given. He stated that the Osama Bin Laden group has been involved in the "planing, financing, and execution" of the US embassies bombing.

US Defense Secretary Cohen said the US by its action have prevented "some of those (terrorists) plans from being carried forward" but admitted that this action will not solve the problem of terrorism.

The US officials who spoke did not provide any evidence for the involvement of the Bin Laden group, saying "The actions should not be viewed as retaliation," but as an "act of self defense."

Previous Stories:
  Sudan denies involvement in embassies attack, Arab leaders condemn the act   (8/12/1998)
  Moslem Brotherhood group in Cairo condemns U.S. embassy bombings   (8/10/1998)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search