Fighter jets continued pounding Shah-i-Kot as hundreds of US soldiers descended from the mountains after a grueling battle against al-Qaida forces. American forces taking part in Operation Anaconda pledged to fight on until the last of the fighters had surrendered or died. Five US-allied Afghan soldiers were wounded in the last 24 hours, but coalition forces reported little fighting and no sustained fire from the al-Qaida holdouts. Afghan Commander Mohammed Ismail Khan said the al-Qaida are weak, but reaching them was a problem because of landmines. "We don't know how many are still alive. The bombing has been so strong I don't know how anyone can survive," said Khan.
Presumably they're busted, but you don't know until you actually go pick through the rubble. If the rubble shoots at you, it's not all over yet. |