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Afghanistan
Gardez fighting snapshot
2002-03-07
  • US-led forces moved from cave to cave in eastern Afghanistan in their effort to drive al-Qaeda and Taliban from one of their last strongholds. At least half of an estimated 600-700 al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters in the Arma Mountains have been killed since the largest air and ground offensive of the war was launched Saturday. Eight US servicemen were killed and over 50 wounded in the rugged mountains bordering Pakistan, where 2,000 allied troops wage "Operation Anaconda," so-named for the snake that engulfs then crushes its prey. US-led bombing of the mountains' cave complexes resumed Wednesday afternoon after a break of a few hours.

    According to Adbul Matin Hassan, a US-allied Afghan commander at Gardez, south of the Arma range, "the Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters are no longer in control of as much ground as they had." Roughly 950 US regular and special forces soldiers are on the ground in the Afghan mountains, joined by 200 commandos from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany and Norway. France is providing air support and the operation is backed by several hundred Afghans under the command of local Afghan warlord Zia Lodin.
    • Posted by:Fred Pruitt

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