In what was clearly a transcontinental version of hot pursuit, US forces struck at what was described as a terrorist training camp 94 miles south of Kabul and close to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

US officials declined to provide operation details of the strike but said the attacks came at 10 p.m local time in Afghanistan and 7.30 p.m local time in Sudan, in order to minimise any possible civilian casualties.

There was immediate concern as to whether the military strikes were aimed as a distraction from the sex scandal that has besieged the American Presidency.President Clinton himself made the first announcement about the military operations at a short statement while on his vacation at Martha's Vineyard. Soon after, he got onboard the Air Force One and return to the White House to oversee the developments.

Several lawmakers, notably veteran Senator Arlen Spector, questioned the precipitate US action and demanded additional details as to why it was undertaken so suddenly.

It was not immediately known if the operation involved air strikes or ground personnel, but US Defence Secretary William Cohen announced that only US forces took part in the action.

But judging by the manner in which US officials clammed on thedetails of the operation, it is conceivable that Pakistan provided some logistical support. The US is known to have a fairly substantial covert operations team in Pakistan. The operation involving any air strikes could also have been launched through the US Centcom, which overseas American security interests in the area.

While US officials have in recent days zeroed in on the Saudi millionaire-terrorist Osama Bin Laden, who is holed up in Afghanistan, as the brain behind the bombings of US embassies in Kenya andTanzania, Secretary Cohen said the military strikes were directed against a broad terrorist threat and not against Bin laden alone.

It is not a response to a specific act.... we wanted to show that there is no sanctuary for terrorists and no limit to our resolve to counter terrorism,=94 Cohen said at a hurriedly-convened Pentagon briefing. The operation was first announced by President Clinton at the holiday resort of Martha's Vineyard moments after it concluded. Judging by the time frame of the launch and the announcement, the attack should have lasted a little more than an hour. US officials did not offer any details of casualties or the fate of Bin Laden, but while disclosing the operation they said the strike had ended even as they were speaking. Clinton and other officials cited four reasons for the US strike which was rumoured to be brewing for several days.

One, Washington had convincing proof that Bin Laden was responsible for the Africa bombings; two, he was also assessed to have beenresponsible for past bombings; three, he was planning more attacks; and four, the terrorists were trying to acquire weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons from Sudan. Soon after the announcement, President Clinton interrupted what was to be a 12-day vacation to return to the White House to oversee the developments. Meanwhile, Sudan's interior minister Abdul Rahim phoned in CNN to protest the attack on civilian targets. He said two fighter planes had bombed the plant near the capital Khartoum.Defence Secretary Cohen said the US had credible information that more US targets were under terrorist threat.

He said the US military strike was aimed at reducing the terrorists ability to train ``misguided followers and acquire chemical weapons.''Sketchy details emerging about the attack in Afghanistan suggested the US tried to destroy an elaborate terrorist training camp which consisted of seven sites. The camp was used to train a large number of terrorists and had artillery ranges and obstaclecourses.Meanwhile, the Pakistani media was reporting that local journalists in Islamabad and Karachi were interviewing Bin Laden even four hours before the attack. His fate was not known.