US B-52 bombs Tora Bora area after surrender deadline passes

A US B-52 aircraft has bombed the Tora Bora area after cornered al-Qaida forces ignored a surrender deadline set by the opposing tribal eastern alliance.

Journalists were kept away from the area by alliance fighters, who earlier confirmed that no al-Qaida forces had given up.

It was unclear whether the bombs directly hit a canyon occupied by al-Qaida members. However, gunfire could be heard coming from the area.

The eastern alliance, which overran al-Qaida's positions on Tuesday, gave their mainly Arab opponents until 8am local time (0330 Irish time) to disarm and walk out of the Tora Bora area, saying they would otherwise face a massive attack.

About 30 minutes after the surrender deadline had come and gone, the alliance's defence chief Mohammed Zaman said: "No Arabs have come out, yet."

Zaman smiled and cocked his head when asked if US military personnel were operating in the area.

American warplanes also carried out bombing raids before dawn in the area on Wednesday. And, as the surrender deadline passed, a B52 bomber circled menacingly over Tora Bora, leaving a spiraling white vapour trail in the blue sky.

It dropped its payload about an hour later.

There was no immediate details on possible casualties from the air raid.

It was also unclear whether bin Laden was among the foreign fighters who were stranded in the canyon after a fierce tribal assault and devastating US airstrikes, which included 15,000-pound "daisy cutters" bombs.