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Afghanistan |
US death toll at nine as al-Qaeda pockets cleaned up |
2002-03-04 |
"The enemy forces have sustained much larger numbers of killed and wounded, and there will be many more," he said. "We intend to continue to the operation until those al-Qaeda and Taliban who remain are either surrendered or killed... Substantial pockets of resistance remain. They're determined, they're dangerous, they will not give up without a fight, they are hiding in the villages and in the mountains and just across the borders in a number of directions from Afghanistan, and they're waiting for their opportunities." According to the press reports I've read [the Sydney Morn. Hrld. was the best] the US commander seems to have bungled both the approach to contact and maneuvers to isolate and encircle the town. The use of transport helicopters within light AA range or small arms range is indicative of US overconfidence. The SMH report indicated also some miscommunications between the US and Afghan forces. |
Posted by:Fred Pruitt |