US special forces and aircraft are engaged in a massive offensive in southeast Afghanistan in a bid to kill or capture senior Taliban leaders. Aljazeeraâs Afghanistan correspondent said a US officer was â100% sureâ Taliban leaders Mulla Omar and Mulla Qahar were both surrounded in the village of Sarsang with about 1000 Taliban fighters. The special forces have joined a major week-long operation against suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda bases in the mountains of Dai Chopan district of Zabul province. Our correspondent counted at least six Chinook helicopters transporting men and equipment into the mountains. Aljazeera.net has learned the Afghan government infantry was ordered to withdraw in anticipation of a huge aerial attack on Sunday night. But B52 bombing proved inaccurate and Afghan troops reported seeing âpiles of dead civilian men, women and children."
| Don't forget the puppies and kittens and baby ducks... |
At least one US soldier also died on Monday when his parachute failed to open. One Afghan field commander, Sayf Allah, said Taliban troops had unexpectedly mounted an attack behind US and Afghan army lines, killing at least eight Afghan soldiers and slightly wounding General Sayf Allah himself. Sayf Allah confirmed that no Taliban had been captured alive so far, but they had almost certainly suffered casualties.
| We'll see. He's been "cornered" before. I have my doubts about the B52s taking out nunneries and the neighbors' dog, unless somebody cross-eyed was calling in the coordinates... |
|