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US coalition launches new offensive in southeast Afghanistan
Bagram Air Base, Sept 01: US-led coalition troops and aircraft have launched a fresh offensive against suspected Taliban militants dug in on the mountains of violence-wrecked southeast Afghanistan, a military spokesman said today.
Bagram Air Base, Sept 01: US-led coalition troops and aircraft have launched a fresh offensive against suspected Taliban militants dug in on the mountains of violence-wrecked southeast Afghanistan, a military spokesman said today.
Afghan forces supported by US troops and aircraft have been engaged for the past week in a major operation against suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda bases in the mountains of Daychopan district of Zabul province, 300 kilometres southwest of Kabul.
"Today I announced the launch of a new operation -- operation mountain viper," Colonel Rodney Davis told reporters at the coalition's Bagram Air Base headquarters 50 kilometres north of Kabul. "The operation was initiated (Saturday) with an air assault in the mountains in the vicinity of Daychopan," he said.
"Of course we are operating in that area to engage anti-coalition forces," Davis said, referring to suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters reportedly regrouping in their hundreds in the remote and mountainous region.
The Colonel said the operation was continuing but would not provide any further details. While the fighting continued, a spokesman for President Hamid Karzai denied a report by a Pakistan-based news agency that the government was negotiating with Taliban officials in Zabul.
"I haven't heard anything about this," Khaleeq Ahmed said. Bureau Report
"Today I announced the launch of a new operation -- operation mountain viper," Colonel Rodney Davis told reporters at the coalition's Bagram Air Base headquarters 50 kilometres north of Kabul. "The operation was initiated (Saturday) with an air assault in the mountains in the vicinity of Daychopan," he said.
"Of course we are operating in that area to engage anti-coalition forces," Davis said, referring to suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters reportedly regrouping in their hundreds in the remote and mountainous region.
The Colonel said the operation was continuing but would not provide any further details. While the fighting continued, a spokesman for President Hamid Karzai denied a report by a Pakistan-based news agency that the government was negotiating with Taliban officials in Zabul.
"I haven't heard anything about this," Khaleeq Ahmed said. Bureau Report