Al-Qaida low on arms amid US air raids

US fighter jets have pounded the mountains sheltering al-Qaida holdouts in eastern Afghanistan today amid reports that hundreds of fighters concentrated near two cave complexes were running low on ammunition.

As Operation Anaconda entered its second week, fighting has dropped off in the icy mountains of eastern Afghanistan, where US-led forces are pursuing a surrender-or-die policy against al-Qaida remnants in the biggest offensive of the Afghan war.

"In the last 72 hours, we haven't had any sustained or accurate fire placed on our forces," said Major Bryan Hilferty, a spokesman for the 10th Mountain Division.

He continued: "Hopefully it means that we've wiped them out."