US Forces Believed Safe After Riot

AP ^ | Nov 25. 2001

[Leroy S. Mort]

Some U.S. special forces troops were in an Afghan fortress where Taliban prisoners of war rioted, a Pentagon spokesman said Sunday. All the Americans were believed to be safe, while hundreds of foreign fighters were reported killed.

The uprising started among about 300 ``hard-core Taliban'' prisoners who had smuggled weapons into the fort and tried to fight their way out, spokesman Lt. Col. Dan Stoneking said. U.S. aircraft bombed the Taliban forces during the fighting, he said.

``It appears all U.S. personnel are accounted for'' and believed to be safe, Stoneking said.

The fighters were captured a day earlier in the siege of the northern city of Kunduz. The riot took place outside the northern town of Mazar-e-Sharif, where they were being held, a northern alliance spokesman said.

A northern alliance commander who controlled the fort, Gen. Rashid Dostum, brought in about 500 of his fighters to quell the uprising, Stoneking said.

The fighters were not Afghans, but most were Chechens and Pakistanis, Stoneking said.

Foreign fighters in Kunduz - mainly Arabs, Chechens and Pakistanis - had insisted on security guarantees following reports of summary executions by the northern alliance in Mazar-e-Sharif and Kabul, the Afghan capital.

[Leroy S. Mort]

....hundreds of foreign fighters were reported killed.

The uprising started among about 300 ``hard-core Taliban'' prisoners

Wiped 'em out I bet. Good riddance.

[Senator Pardek]

How the hell are weapons smuggled into a prison camp? Why aren't they all stripped and searched first?

[Dog]

Fox reporter is still hearing gunfire and flashes on the horizon...near the prison..

[Dog]

Good question....the NA will be read the riot act I bet..

[ko_kyi]

Hmmm. Shot trying to escape, I guess. I wonder if most or all foreign Taliban will be shot trying to escape.

[kinghorse]

You don't get two chances to surrender.

[donozark]

Good point. An obvious lack of professionalism on the part of the N. Alliance. They are lucky the prisoners didn't escape behind their lines.

[Leroy S. Mort]

How the hell are weapons smuggled into a prison camp?

Federalized security staff?

[Dog]

I know...it seems the NA will have learned a lesson...

You dont just march these NON-Afghan fighters into a cell without searching them...

[kinghorse]

Oh those darn NA soldiers fell asleep and some prisoners rioted. C130 and F18's were called in. Drat drat drat. I hope every is safe. shame on those NA for letting the prisoners get rowdy. shame.

[Dutchy]

CNN just reported that Pentagon reported no US serviceman killed in Mazar. But would'nt comment on others....Possibly CIA or CIA contract person killed??? I hope not....just false reports..

[Lady Jag]

Fox reported that the prisoners, not thoroughly searched, used grenades they smuggled in. It is easier for some to screte grenades on them. Witnesses said they were suicides.

[Lady Jag]

Not only screte, but secrete as well.

[Dog]

These guys even had heavy weapons...

[McGavin999]

I do not want to hear the term "bloodbath" uttered after the battle of Kunduz. I will personally slap the snot out of the first whining liberal that dares to utter that word. How many trusting NA fighters are now dead because some bleeding heart insisted we treat these vicious animals "humainly". God I'm mad!

[11B3]

What happened to the normal method of using det cord wrapped around the necks of prisoners? It's amazing how sedate they become. Once they watch the first squad or so lose their heads, not a one will even move unless told to do so. Even if they don't speak the same language, they do exactly as they are told.

[tomahawk]

Dostum is a fool. He took these "prisoners" so that he could claim Konduz for himself.

[Dog]

I picked up on that also ......NO Dept of Defense people were killed...odd statement..

[Lady Jag]

So he didn't bother to search the prisoners and allowed them to bring in "heavy weapons" because he was in too much hurry to take the place for himself?