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U.S. warplanes hit Taliban front lines

(CNN) -- Two U.S. F/A-18 fighters attacked the Taliban front lines Sunday at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, a CNN photographer on the scene said.

About 4:15 p.m. local time (7:45 a.m. EDT), the F/A-18s began bombing the front lines of Taliban forces near the former Russian air base, now under the control of the Northern Alliance, just north of Kabul.

The attack lasted about 45 minutes, the CNN staffer said.

Initially, the planes flew by at a high altitude on what appeared to be reconnaissance flights. The two F/A-18s attacked, first separately then later simultaneously, in a total of four rounds, causing a series of explosions, the photographer said. (Full story)

The Taliban responded with salvos of anti-aircraft fire, he said.

The Northern Alliance troops on the ground seemed to be aware the attack was coming, said the CNN staffer. Just before the planes arrived, Northern Alliance generals warned people at Bagram of the impending attack, he said.

Other reports of U.S.-led air attacks said activities were under way in Kabul, Kandahar, Jalalabad and elsewhere.

VIDEO Images of Northern Alliance fighters watching the U.S. jet attack (October 21) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, shows video clips from the raid by U.S. ground forces in Afghanistan (October 20) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

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Latest developments

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• The Northern Alliance said Sunday it lost ground near the strategically important city of Mazar-e Sharif, which sits along key supply routes. Northern Alliance officials said 20 U.S. military personnel are working with their troops near the city.

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• U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on "Fox News Sunday" that the Northern Alliance should not play the dominant role in any post-Taliban Afghan government. Also appearing on CNN's "Late Edition," Powell said the U.S. campaign against Afghanistan should be wrapped up by the onset of winter. (Full story)

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• Thirteen civilians were killed during bombing in Kabul early Sunday, a resident in the Afghan capital told CNN. The report of deaths in the capital could not be independently confirmed.

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