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U.S. Says More Operation Anaconda Winding Down
Monday, March 18, 2002
(11:23 AM ET)
By Mehrdad Balali
Reuters

Canadian soldiers leave a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter March 18, 2002 at Bagram airbase, north of Kabul. U.S. Army Gen. Tommy Franks, in overall charge of coalition forces in Afghanistan, said that 'Operation Anaconda' was drawing to a close.
Image Credit: Reuters.

Eight American soldiers had died and about 60 were wounded while four Afghan fighters were killed and 40 wounded.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan -- Reuters
The United States Monday announced the end of the biggest ground battle of the Afghan war but forecast more big battles ahead before al Qaeda-Taliban forces were driven from Afghanistan.

U.S. General Tommy Franks, head of coalition forces in Afghanistan, said Operation Anaconda was a major success but warned rebels were likely to regroup to fight another day.

"Future operations are likely to be the same size as Anaconda," he said, adding that he had an "idea" where the next attacks would be but did not want to disclose them.

Meanwhile, defense officials in Washington said elite U.S. troops had killed 16 people Sunday in an attack on a convoy believed carrying fleeing al Qaeda guerrillas in eastern Afghanistan.

"We don't have a lot of details yet, but 16 were killed, one was wounded and one captured. No American troops were injured," one official told Reuters, adding that the attack took place about 45 miles southwest of Gardez.

Other officials said U.S. army special forces troops attacked a convoy of three or four vehicles believed to be fleeing Operation Anaconda forces around Gardez.

* BRONZE STAR
* BIN LADEN
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2002 © Reuters, Ltd.

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