Northern Alliance soldiers fire at a front line position near Charatoy
in the north of Afghanistan October 17, 2001. Opposition commanders
fighting Afghanistan's ruling Taliban watched in the early hours of
Wednesday as U.S. warplanes struck enemy positions close to the
frontline above Kabul for the first time. The attacks were a boost for
the Northern Alliance, which is itching to capitalise on the damage
wrought by Western airpower on the hardline Islamic movement.
REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

KM