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U.S. Troop Dies in New Afghan Combat
Saturday, March 2, 2002
By Pauline Jelinek
Associated Press Writer

The battle was yet another example of how hard it is to stamp out the terrorists and their supporters in Afghanistan, months after the Taliban abandoned their stronghold of Kandahar and al-Qaida fighters were pushed from Tora Bora -- what at that time was called their last stronghold.

WASHINGTON -- AP
Fresh U.S. combat casualties show the continuing danger five months into the anti-terror campaign in Afghanistan even as the Pentagon prepares to expand it to other countries.

In one of the largest joint operations of the war, 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 that began Friday night against regrouping Taliban and al-Qaida, a U.S. defense official said Saturday.

The Pentagon said one American and two Afghans allies were killed, and that an unspecified number from each country were wounded.

Afghan fighters interviewed in Gardez, in eastern Afghanistan, said Americans told them there were about 4,000 al-Qaida and Taliban warriors holed up in the mountains.
(More: The Miami Herald News Source)
2002 © The Associated Press.

Dan