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Us jets attack taliban hideout { August 26 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44657-2003Aug25.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44657-2003Aug25.html
U.S. Jets Attack Taliban Hide-Out
14 Rebels Killed, Officials Say
By Matthew Pennington
Associated Press
Tuesday, August 26, 2003; Page A10
KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 25 -- U.S. jets pounded a Taliban mountain hide-out today, killing at least 14 insurgents in the deadliest air assault since rebels launched a series of strikes against Afghan government targets, U.S. and Afghan officials said.
Sweeping through the rugged mountains of southeastern Afghanistan, scores of Afghan militiamen and U.S.-led Special Forces hunted down suspected Taliban fighters, who in recent weeks have been staging attacks on police officials and government convoys. The Taliban violence has killed dozens of people and cast a shadow over U.S.-led efforts to rebuild the war-battered country.
Today's attack was supported by A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack jets, F-16 fighter bombers and AV-8B Harrier attack jets, said Army Lt. Col. James Cassella, a Pentagon spokesman.
In the campaign, dubbed Operation Warrior Sweep, fighter jets provided air support for ground troops and blasted the mountain region that runs between Kandahar and Zabol provinces, said Col. Rodney Davis, spokesman for the U.S. military at coalition headquarters at Bagram air base, north of the capital, Kabul.
Davis said 14 enemy fighters were killed. Juma Khan, a district police chief, put the death toll at 16. Ahmad Khan, spokesman for the provincial governor, claimed that at least 50 were killed. There was no way to independently confirm the varying reports.
There were no reported coalition casualties in the operation, which was continuing, Davis said.
Afghan officials said the U.S. jets destroyed the Taliban camp, which was located in the Dai Chupan district of southeastern Zabol province.
A Taliban spokesman, Mohammed Hanif, said by satellite telephone that only civilians were killed in two separate offensives by Afghan government troops and that the Taliban contingent had fled. "It was a massive force of the government who wanted to kill and arrest the Taliban, but they were not successful," Hanif said, adding that the Taliban soldiers were led by Amir Khan Haqqani.
The recent anti-government assaults, mostly in the south and east of Afghanistan but also in some central regions, suggest that the Taliban is regrouping nearly two years after being toppled by U.S.-led forces. There have been reports that the Taliban's leader, Mohammad Omar, has appointed military commanders to specific areas.
More than a week ago, hundreds of suspected Taliban fighters attacked police stations in Paktika province.
On Saturday, at least five government soldiers riding in a truck were killed in a Taliban ambush in Dai Chupan. The Taliban put the death toll at 12.
© 2003 The Washington Post Company
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