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Kamal Hyder: Heavy air raids in southern Afghanistan

CNN's Kamal Hyder

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CNN) – Significant air activity was reported over the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

And in the north, the Northern Alliance reported progress in its efforts to overtake the Taliban-held city Mazar-e Sharif.

CNN's Kamal Hyder is based in Kandahar, and he filed the following report on the developments:

HYDER: Mazar-e Sharif is of vital strategic importance to the Northern Alliance because they want to cut open a route to Termiz, which is in southern Uzbekistan, where American forces are already stationed. It would open a logistical route to the Northern Alliance from Uzbekistan.

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Also, very importantly for the Taliban, it could be a make-or-break situation in the north, and they seem to be determined from the reports that we are getting here, from soldiers returning home for short leave who say that the Taliban have the morale and capability to hold Mazar-e Sharif.

CNN: Give us an update about where you are in Kandahar in the south.

HYDER: Here in the south, Wednesday morning a B-52 flew over Kandahar. It was visible and seen by us from the compound. Some anti-aircraft fire from the Taliban artillery was seen, but the aircraft was way above the target. Later in the afternoon, again we had air activity. We were told by people coming from the outlying districts that those districts are basically getting special attention from allied bombers as they look for Taliban forces out in the adjoining areas.

Also Tuesday night, Kandahar came under intense air activity and what sounded like propeller aircraft -- most people here assumed that the sound was AC-130s targeting a southwest district ... and those flashes from the explosions were visible Tuesday night.