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| Afghanistan | |
| U.S. Says Taliban on the Run, 70 to 100 Killed | |
| 2003-09-05 | |
| EFL/FU: The U.S. military said on Friday it was pursuing remnants of a large Taliban force in the mountains of southeastern Afghanistan after killing 70 to 100 of them in more than a week of fighting. "We believe we have been very successful, we believe we have the enemy on the run," Colonel Rodney Davis told reporters at Bagram air base. "From what we can determine they have withdrawn to some extent. There has been relatively light resistance in the last 24 hours, but we’re not going to stop, we’re going to press on." Keep after them, boys. The Taliban force in Zabul province, which numbered up to 1,000 men, was the largest concentration of forces from the Islamic militia since it was ousted from power in late 2001, and the battle, which began on August 25, the biggest in at least 18 months. Zabul’s intelligence chief Khalil Hotak said the corpses of 124 Taliban fighters, including two Arabs, had been found in and around the mountain caves. Davis put the figure slightly lower. "We can confirm coalition and Afghan militia forces have killed somewhere in the range of between 70 and 100 enemy personnel," Davis said. "That is probably a conservative estimate." "We’re still putting the pieces together, literally." The commander of Taliban forces in Zabul said only seven of his men had been killed and 10 to 20 wounded, dismissing the U.S. figure as propaganda. "Lies, all lies." "If their claim is true, why don’t they show the bodies," Mullah Abdul Razzaq Nafees told Reuters by satellite phone. Cuz that’s a islamic thing. Davis said Operation Mountain Viper would continue against forces he described as "primarily Afghan, primarily Taliban."
No Tora Bora this time. In the past, Taliban forces have often frustrated their U.S. pursuers by slipping away into the rugged mountains of southeastern Afghanistan, or over the border into Pakistan. On this occasion, government officials from neighboring provinces say they have sent forces to cut off Taliban escape routes. Goody. | |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #8 The rebels don't fight that well but boy can the retreat fast! This is an important battle because soon winter will set in and they won't have the air support. I only hope Omar and Osama are amongst them. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter) 2003-9-5 3:34:23 PM |
| #7 I'd lean toward the Afghani Figures: kinda hard to count bodies from an aircraft. Showing the bodies on TV, given the location and the reluctance of reporters to bestir themselves from their hotels, is somewhat problematic. Given the Afghanis, I think they'd show the bodies if they had a camera on hand. But they don't, so they can't. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-9-5 3:05:44 PM |
| #6 Sounds like there are conflicting reports. Does the BBC or NYT have someone on the ground who provide an objective assessment? |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-9-5 1:00:48 PM |
| #5 In the middle of this offensive against elusive Taliban in the trackless mountains of Afghan Land, Rooters has the phone number for their commander ? WTF ?? Why don't we pummel the reporter and get the phone number, then give the commander a ring ? *ring* Hello? "Hi, I'm calling about your pizza order" (okay boys, launch the missile...) |
| Posted by: Carl in NH 2003-9-5 11:51:59 AM |
| #4 thats right frank. A victory for the Afghan National Army, the true army of Islam. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-9-5 9:57:48 AM |
| #3 Another victory for the armed forces of Islam |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-9-5 9:53:47 AM |
| #2 This must be a typo, the Dimmocrats said we're not in Afghanistan anymore. I'm confused, I thought we abandoned them and the Taliban were taking over again. Dean said so, so it must be true. |
| Posted by: Swiggles 2003-9-5 9:34:38 AM |
| #1 Chasing the Apache circa 1870 redux. Just don't let them slip back into Mexico boys. |
| Posted by: Don 2003-9-5 9:32:58 AM |