<

Canadian Troops Discover Two Dead al-Qaida, Cache of Weapons in Cave Complex
Friday, March 15, 2002
By Stephen Thorne
Canadian Press Writer

Master Cpl. Steve Ambrose of Ottawa, (left to right) Master Cpl. Paul Springer, of Prince George, B.C., and Pvt. Simon Hughes of Vancouver pose in Afghanistan.
Image Credit: Stephen Thorne -- The Canadian Press.

By midday, an FBI forensic team came in to the destroyed bunker and cave complex and performed DNA tests on what bodies they could find. While it is not suspected that Osama bin Laden nor Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar were in the cave complex, the FBI wants to make certain.

WITH CANADIAN TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN -- CP
Canadian engineers discovered two dead al-Qaida in an extensive cave complex in a mountainside Friday after firing two rockets into it during offensive operations.

The Canadian soldiers also found a cache of mortars, grenades and rockets, including a 107 mm rocket -- which has an 8½-kilometre-range -- set up ready for firing. There was also a wood stove. All the weapons in the caves were destroyed. Lt.-Col. Pat Stogran, commander of the Canadian contingent in Afghanistan, said Operation Harpoon, which began on Wednesday, is going "swimmingly."

There have been no Canadian casualties, although some Canadian troops have been airlifted out with twisted ankles and atrophied backs due to the very rugged terrain and heavy loads they must carry.
(More: The Canadian Press News Source)
2002 © The Canadian Press.

Dan