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US ground troops in Afghanistan, Taliban planning ceasefire
As US deployed ground forces in southern Afghanistan indicating that the military action could be intensified, the ruling Taliban militia on Friday said that it has prepared a ceasefire plan but at the same time declared that they are ready for any ground attack.
As US deployed ground forces in southern Afghanistan indicating that the military action could be intensified, the ruling Taliban militia on Friday said that it has prepared a ceasefire plan but at the same time declared that they are ready for any ground attack.
After overnight bombing, Afghanistan was relatively calm with US scaling down attacks apparently because it being a Friday. Only two bombs hit Kabul during the day.
While Pentagon officials confirmed that a small number of US special forces, used for small scale and covert operations including search and destroy missions, were in southern Afghanistan, stronghold of Taliban, President George W Bush refused to comment on it. “I will not comment on military operations,” Bush told a joint press conference with Chinese counterpart Jiang Zemin on the sidelines of APEC meeting at Shanghai in China.
“I have made very clear at the outset of this campaign that I will not respond to rumours and information that seeps into public consciousness for fear of disrupting the operations that are taking place in Afghanistan,” he said.
The Pentagon officials in Washington said on condition of anonymity that American troops have been deployed on the ground inside Afghanistan in recent days for duties consistent with the changing nature of the operation. They said that it could be the first phase of a larger US troop presence in Afghanistan.
Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef, who returned from Kandahar after meeting top militia leadership, said in the Pakistani city of Quetta that he had brought a ceasefire plan.
Bureau Report
While Pentagon officials confirmed that a small number of US special forces, used for small scale and covert operations including search and destroy missions, were in southern Afghanistan, stronghold of Taliban, President George W Bush refused to comment on it. “I will not comment on military operations,” Bush told a joint press conference with Chinese counterpart Jiang Zemin on the sidelines of APEC meeting at Shanghai in China.
“I have made very clear at the outset of this campaign that I will not respond to rumours and information that seeps into public consciousness for fear of disrupting the operations that are taking place in Afghanistan,” he said.
The Pentagon officials in Washington said on condition of anonymity that American troops have been deployed on the ground inside Afghanistan in recent days for duties consistent with the changing nature of the operation. They said that it could be the first phase of a larger US troop presence in Afghanistan.
Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef, who returned from Kandahar after meeting top militia leadership, said in the Pakistani city of Quetta that he had brought a ceasefire plan.
Bureau Report