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Anaconda Over, but Operations Continue in Afghanistan
Monday, March 18, 2002
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Neither Air Force Brig. Gen. John Rosa nor Pentagon spokeswoman Torie Clarke wanted to quantify the number of al Qaeda and Taliban killed in Operation Anaconda. Clarke said conditions in the area make it very difficult to get exact numbers.

WASHINGTON -- AFIS
Operation Anaconda is officially over, but skirmishes near Gardez and west of Kandahar prove the Defense Department's premise that actions in Afghanistan are not complete.

Air Force Brig. Gen. John Rosa, Joint Staff spokesman, put it simply during a press conference March 18: "Operation Anaconda is over, but Operation Enduring Freedom continues."

Rosa said teams remain in the Operation Anaconda area looking for any remaining Taliban and al Qaeda. U.S., Afghan and coalition forces have searched more than 30 caves in the region so far and have found weapons, ammunition and documents.

On Sunday a patrol observed three vehicles about 45 miles southwest of Gardez, Rosa said. After watching them for a time, commanders called in helicopters to stop the convoy. When their warning shots were met with return fire, the aircraft destroyed the vehicles. In the firefight, 16 people in the convoy were killed, one wounded and one detained. There were no U.S. casualties.
(More: DoD News Source)
2002 © The United States Department of Defense.

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