The Military Campaign

As the US begins its military action against Osama Bin Laden and the Taleban, BBC News Online brings you regular reports on the latest stages of the campaign.

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Monday 22 October

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Aircraft pound Taleban troops

An S-3B Viking launches from USS Carl Vinson

American aircraft pound Taleban troops north of the Afghan capital - Kabul - and the key town of Mazar-i-Sharif. Opposition Afghan forces try to capture the cities. The Pentagon says there is no evidence to support claims that aircraft bombed a hospital in the city of Herat, killing more than 100 people.

 The BBC's David Shukman reports

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Sunday 21 October

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US attacks Taleban front line

Several civilians were reported killed in Kabul

US war planes have targeted Taleban front line positions north of Kabul. The Taleban claim the raids have resulted in heavy civilian casualties. An Afghan doctor has confirmed to the BBC that the 10-year-old son of the Taleban leader Mullah Omar has died from injuries received during an earlier air raid on Kandahar.

 The BBC's Jonathan Charles reports

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Saturday 20 October

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Ground troops attack key Taleban targets

US troops clear an airfield near Kandahar

US Special Forces have attacked key sites including a command centre in southern Afghanistan. The Pentagon said US troops had met only slight resistance, and describe the mission as a success.

 The BBC's Daniel Boettcher reports

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Friday 19 October

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Special forces 'inside Afghanistan'

US special forces: said to be inside Afghanistan

Reports begin to emerge from Washington that American special forces have begun operating inside Afghanistan as airstrikes continue. The Taleban say their forces are "ready for battle".

 The BBC's Nick Bryant reports

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Wednesday 17 October

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Northern Alliance pushes towards Kabul

A Northern Alliance soldier loads a mortar

The United States uses low flying gunships against Taliban ground troops in attacks on their positions north of Kabul. It may help the Northern Alliance, who are close to the Afghan capital. US and British military sources say they have used two thousand bombs and missiles since strikes began.

 The BBC's Kim Barnes reports

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Tuesday 16 October

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Red Cross warehouse destroyed

A building destroyed by the US airstrikes

The Red Cross claims one of its warehouses has been destroyed by an American bomb. The number of daylight raids over Afghanistan are stepped up but fighters with the Northern Alliance continue to express frustration that the Taleban frontline remains relatively unscathed.

 The BBC's Ben Brown reports

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Monday 15 October

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Bombers hit key targets

US Navy personnel aboard the USS Enterprise in the Indian ocean

US planes begin a second week of attacks on military targets in Afghanistan, where the main telephone exchange in Kabul is reported to have been hit. Taleban sources say that 12 people were killed and 32 injured in the attacks.

 The BBC's Jonathan Charles reports

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Sunday 14 October

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Bush rejects Taleban offer

President Bush says US demands are not negotiable

The United States rejects a Taleban offer of talks on handing Osama Bin Laden over to a third country if the bombing stops. President Bush says his demand that Bin Laden is handed over to the US is not negotiable. The Taleban bring foreign journalists to see what they say are the remains of a village destroyed by US bombs with the loss of 200 lives.

 The BBC's James Robbins reports

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Saturday 13 October

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US admits hitting civilian target

A group of Kabul residents prepare to leave the city

The Pentagon admits one of its bombs has hit a residential area killing up to four people. It was supposed to hit Kabul airport, a mile away. The Taleban rejects President Bush's offer to halt the bombing if Osama Bin Laden is handed over, saying it is a holy war and they will fight to the last breath..

 The BBC's Ben Brown reports

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Friday 12 October

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Attacks on hold for day of prayer

A photograph released by the Pentagon showing damage to an airfield at Herat

The US said it was calling off any pre-planned attacks out of respect for the Moslem day of prayer. The Pentagon also released video showing some of its missiles hitting their targets. The Taleban continued to report civilian casualties, saying 300 had been killed.

 The BBC's David Shukman reports

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Thursday 11 October

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The most intense bombardment

US B2 bomber

The US launches a fourth night of military attacks on the Afghan capital Kabul. In what is said to be the most intense bombardment of the campaign so far, the fire power includes the introduction of "bunker busting" bombs.

 The BBC's Bridget Kendall reports

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Wednesday 10 October

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US claims command of the skies

Washington claims it has wiped out Taleban air defences

Washington says its destruction of Afghan air defences means it now has complete air supremacy. The Taleban authorities deny their military capability is weakened and say a number of civilians have been killed in the attacks.

 The BBC's James Robbins reports

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Tuesday 9 October

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UN workers killed by bombing

A UN building is destroyed in the second wave of bombing

The United Nations has confirmed that four Afghan employees were killed in overnight bombing of the capital Kabul. The four civilians, who worked for a UN-affiliated mine clearing agency, died during the second night of air strikes on Afghanistan.

 The BBC's James Robbins reports

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Monday 8 October

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US warns of more air strikes

Three major Afghan cities are hit in the 'first wave'

The United States says air strikes against Afghanistan are to continue for several nights. The United Kingdom which took part in the first night of attacks says very considerable damage was done on the targets. The Taleban says at least 20 civilians were killed in the attacks.

 The BBC's James Robbins reports

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Sunday 7 October

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US begins military action

Combat missions are being flown from US aircraft carriers

Waves of attacks by aircraft and cruise missiles fired from submarines hit key towns held by the Taleban. Among the targets were the airport and defence ministry in the capital, Kabul; the airport in the Taleban stronghold, Kandahar; and training camps in the eastern town of Jalalabad.

 The BBC's Stephen Sackur reports