Tora Bora
Tora Bora ("black dust") is a fortified encampment with an extensive network of tunnels, located between two mountain ridges in a region of cliffs and forests which is difficult to reach by land. It is located in the White Mountains in eastern Afghanistan, southwest of Jalalabad near the Pakistan border. The phrase "Tora Bora region" is often seen in news reports, but it is not clear if the name was used before the camp was constructed.
It was originally built by extending natural caves, with assistance of the United States (probably the CIA) in the early 1980s for use by mujahideen during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.
In 2001 it was in use by al-Qaeda and was suspected to be the
headquarters of Osama bin Laden. It was described in newspapers as a
suitable lair for a villain out of the James Bond movies: variously as a multi-storeyed cave complex harnessing hydroelectric power from mountain streams, or a lower-rise dwelling with hotel-like corridors capable of sheltering more than 1,000. It supposedly also contained a large cache of ammunition, such as FIM-92 Stinger missiles left over from the 1980s. To complete the James Bond scenario, al-Qaeda were suspected of developing nuclear and biological weapons.
The Northern Alliance and U.S. fought to capture it from al-Qaeda in December 2001.
Further reading:
- John Bowman, Tora Bora, CBC News Online (Dec., 2001)
- http://www.cbc.ca/news/indepth/targetterrorism/backgrounders/torabora.html
- Matthew Forney, Inside the Tora Bora Caves, Time (Dec. 11, 2001)
- http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,188029,00.html
Maps and Pictures:
- Map and picture from Washingtonpost.com (Dec. 10, 2001):
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/graphics/attack/zone_32.html
- Maps from Latimes.com (Dec. 7, 2001):
- http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-120701hunt-g.graphic
Referenced By
2001 Afghanistan War | 2001 Attack on Afghanistan | 2001 Coalition Attack on Afghanistan | 2001 U.S. Attack on Afghanistan | 2001 U.S. Attack on Afghanistan/Timeline December 2001 | 2001 U.S. Attack on the Taliban | 2001 U.S. Attack on the Taliban/Timeline December 2001 | 2001 U©S© Attack on Afghanistan | Afghanistan timeline April 16-30, 2003 | Afghanistan timeline December 2001 | Afghanistan timeline January 1-16, 2002 | Afghanistan timeline January 2002 | Afghanistan timeline March 1-15, 2003 | Asama Bin Laden | Bin Laden | Binladin | February 2003 | Gardez | Iraq crisis | Iraq crisis, 2003 | Iraq crisis of 2003 | Iraq disarmament crisis timeline 2001-2003 | Mehdi Mohammed Ghezali | Mehdi Muhammed Ghezali | Mujahid Shaykh | October 7, 2001 Coalition Attack on Afghanistan | October 7th 2001 US Attack on Afghanistan | Operation Infinite Justice | Osama | Osama Bin Lad'n | Osama Bin Ladan | Osama Bin Laden | Osama Bin Ladin | Osama Bin Loden | Osama Binladin | Osama bin-Laden | Osama bin Ladn | Osama ibn Laden | Ossama Bin Laden | Ossama bin Ladin | Ousama ben Laden | Ousama bin Laden | Oussama Ben Laden | Oussama ben Ladin | Oussama bin Laden | Sheikh Usamah Bin-Muhammad Bin-Awad Bin-Ladin | Sheikh Usamah bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Ladin | The Director | The Emir | Timeline of U.S. attack on Afghanistan in December 2001 | U.S. Attack on Afghanistan | U.S. invasion of Afghanistan | U. S. invasion of Afghanistan | US-led military operations in Afghanistan | US Attack on Afghanistan | US Invasion of Afghanistan | United States invasion of Afghanistan | Usama Bin Laden | Usama Bin Ladin | Usama Binladin | Usama ben Laden | Usama ben Ladin | Usama ibn Laden | Usamah Bin Mohammad Bin Laden | Usamah bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Ladin | Ussama ben Ladin | Ussamah Bin Ladin | War in Afghanistan
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