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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| US bombing 'enemy positions' in Afghanistan |
| 2002-02-19 |
| The United States has confirmed its warplanes bombed "enemy positions" in eastern Afghanistan to help defend friendly forces, amid reports an Afghan government soldier was killed in a US raid in the region. The US military's Central Command issued a statement on Sunday saying the bombing attacks occurred over the weekend without disclosing exactly where or if there were any casualties. The statement was released after the son of a warlord in the eastern province of Khost said a US bombing raid there had killed a government security force member and injured four others. Abdul Wali, the son of regional warlord Padsha Khan, said the US bombing raid occurred following an armed clash between tribes near the village of Gurboz, some five kilometres from Khost city. "The Americans have not bombed any villages but they did bomb an ammunition depot," he said. "Four people have been wounded and one killed from the security forces of Khost province." The Central Command statement said US warplanes dropped precision-guided bombs when pro-Kabul government forces came under attack from enemy troops about on Saturday in eastern Afghanistan. The statement said the pro-government forces had called in the airstrike after enemy troops fired on them as they attempted to pass a roadblock. The US aircraft returned on Sunday for a follow-up strike, dropping more precision-guided weapons. The Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) had earlier reported that local security forces had come under attack from feuding tribesmen as they responded to fighting in the district of Farm Bagh district, 30kms east of Khost, on Saturday. A local resident, Zahir Shah, said US jets flew over the troubled town and dropped some bombs. |
| Posted by:Fred |