Taliban claims US plane shot down

The Taliban is claiming to have shot down a US aircraft.

The Pentagon is not aware of any damage to the 15 bombers and 25 strike aircraft involved in the first wave of attacks.

There is speculation the Taliban could be referring to knocking out a Tomahawk cruise missile.

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the initial phase of military operations against Afghanistan is designed to knock out Taliban air defences and aircraft.

This would "create conditions for sustained anti-terrorist and humanitarian relief operations in Afghanistan".

The Taliban has called the Allied military strikes a "horrendous terrorist action".

Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef says the Afghan nation will rise against the aggressors.

The Afghan ambassador to Pakistan says the Taliban had chosen talks to get over the impasse over Osama bin Laden, but the US had chosen the military option.

Speaking at a brief press conference, Mullah Zaeef said: "America has chosen the military approach. This will unify our nation against the aggressors.

"The Afghans will rise against the new colonialists. We condemn this horrendous terrorist action."