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New Afghan Army in First Big Combat Operation
Afghanistanâs fledgling national army has launched its first major combat operation, sweeping the Zormat Valley region in the southeast of the country for Islamic militants fighting the U.S.-backed government. About 1,000 soldiers from the now 5,000-strong Afghan National Army (ANA) were in the valley region in the southern part of Paktia province, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan said Wednesday. "Operation Warrior Sweep marks the ANAâs first major combat operation," Colonel Rodney Davis said at a military base on the outskirts of Kabul. Davis said the ANAâs mission was to "kill, capture and deny sanctuary to anti-coalition forces," and that it was backed by coalition forces. He declined to detail coalition participation.Intel, air support, etc. Asked if contact had been made with opposing forces, Davis replied: "Iâd rather not say — the operation is in its early stages." News of the operation comes after suspected Taliban guerrillas have stepped up anti-coalition attacks around the country, but Davis said Warrior Sweep had been planned for some time and was not a response to these. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, Davis said rockets landed on Tuesday near coalition bases in the southern province of Kandahar and the southeastern province of Paktika and a patrol of U.S soldiers was ambushed in the eastern province of Asadabad. He said the attacks caused no casualties. Typical Taliban marksmanship. Davis said attacks in the south, in which the U.S. military said it killed up to 24 suspected Taliban guerrillas at the weekend had involved probably the largest concentration of opposing fighters in months. "What we have seen for the most part over recent months is teams of five, perhaps 10, engaged in hit and run tactics." Big concentrations are a good thing, more targets. Posted by: Steve 2003-07-23 |
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