Taleban counterclaims on US raid

Afghanistan's Taleban rulers have rejected US reports that Taleban military might has been undermined in the air bombardment and subsequent ground operation.

Taleban fighters confronted the American commandos who were parachuted in and chased them away, said Mola Dadollah Akhond, described by Taleban-run radio as "one of the most prominent and powerful in the heroic army of Afghanistan".

The Taleban made an attack and the Americans ran away

Taleban commander

The Taleban fighters were told promptly about the commando operation, he said.

"They made an attack and the Americans ran away."

"This was the first time they landed," Mola Akhond said. "Next time, with God's help, they may not come down at all."

'No damage'

The commander denied that the campaign had damaged the Taleban military might or morale. "No danger has been caused to the Taleban, nothing of the Taleban has been destroyed," he said.

"These airports which they hit - let them not rejoice at that, for that will not demoralise anybody."

Taleban radio, taking stock of two weeks of US attacks, has detected "signs of great defeat on the dirty face of America".

But our jihad-loving people have always given a toothbreaking answer to any aggressor and invader on the battlefield throughout our history

Taleban radio

"Because the Americans and their allies relish the death and destruction of each Muslim - civilian or non-civilian, woman or child, they have launched indiscriminate attacks against both people's homes and military facilities," the radio broadcasting from Balkh province said in another broadcast.

"But our jihad-loving people have always given a toothbreaking answer to any aggressor and invader on the battlefield throughout our history."

"For every invader, the soil of this land has become their graveyard."

The radio said the US "invasion plans" were doomed.

"The Americans and their allies have no knowledge about how this society works," the radio warned.

"This country is like no other."

If Western scholars had studied the previous wars "they would never have advised the Americans to attack Afghanistan".

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.