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U.S., Afghans Launch Major Offensive
Saturday, March 2, 2002
(9:33 PM ET)
By Kathy Gannon
Associated Press Writer

"Our goal since the beginning ... has been to eliminate al-Qaida and Taliban elements in the country, so they cannot reconstitute. We are moving methodically to identify those elements so we can achieve that goal."

GARDEZ, Afghanistan -- AP
In the biggest U.S.-led ground operation this year, U.S. and Afghan troops backed by U.S. jets Saturday attacked Taliban and al-Qaida forces regrouping in eastern Afghanistan. One American was killed and a number were injured, the Pentagon said.

Two Afghan fighters were also killed, the Pentagon added. The ground attack, which began at dawn Saturday, made little headway in dislodging Taliban and al-Qaida fighters who fought back with artillery, mortars and heavy machine guns, Afghan officials said.

It was the largest U.S.-led ground operation in the anti-terror campaign since the December attack on the Tora-Bora cave complex, U.S. military officials said.

A U.S. defense official said a U.S-led force of 1,500 Afghan allies, U.S. special forces and troops from the Army's 101st Airborne assault troops assembled for a battle. Afghan fighters interviewed here said the Americans told them there were about 4,000 al-Qaida and Taliban warriors holed up in the mountains.

For the first time, warplanes dropped newly developed bombs designed to send suffocating blasts through cave complexes, military officials said. The "thermobaric" bombs were tested in December and officials said in January that they would be rushed to the region for the war.

Afghan forces broke off the attack in early afternoon and withdrew, possibly to allow U.S. bombers to soften up Taliban and al-Qaida positions overnight. Heavy bombers could be heard flying toward the area late Saturday.
(More: South Florida Sun-Sentinel News Source)
2002 © The Associated Press.

Dan