Posted on 11/26/2001 11:00:25 PM PST by JohnHuang2
MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Nov 27, 2001 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- U.S. special forces aided northern alliance fighters battling captured loyalists of Osama bin Laden for a third day Tuesday in a sprawling mud-walled fortress in northern Afghanistan.U.S. airplanes circled above the Qalai Janghi fortress, where Taliban prisoners captured by the alliance in the siege of Kunduz last weekend rained rocket-propelled grenades and mortars on alliance troops trying to suppress the uprising. Witnesses reported heavy airstrikes on the fortress overnight.
Five U.S. soldiers were seriously wounded when a U.S. JDAM smart bomb called in by special forces went astray, exploding near the Americans. The five were evacuated to nearby Uzbekistan, Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in Washington. Their identities were not released.
Another U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tuesday the soldiers had been sent out of Uzbekistan for treatment.
One CIA operative was unaccounted for in the uprising, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity.
Trucks carrying 200 northern alliance fighters and an anti-aircraft gun arrived at the fortress Tuesday morning, while U.S. special forces troops moved toward the fighting.
"We have come to help the other soldiers," said Karim Pahlawan, a northern alliance commander.
Hundreds of Pakistanis, Chechens, Arabs and other non-Afghans fighting with the Taliban were brought to the fortress here as part of the weekend surrender of Kunduz, the Islamic militia's last stronghold in the north.
Once inside the fortress Sunday, the prisoners stormed the armory and were still resisting two days later despite U.S. airstrikes and attacks by alliance forces.
Prisoners fired mortars from inside the fortress, and tank and machine-gun fire could be heard. Mortar shells exploded around the complex, sending up billowing clouds of dust and smoke, and an enormous blast shook windows in Mazar-e-Sharif, 15 kilometers (10 miles) away.
Some Taliban prisoners could be seen climbing trees, and northern alliance fighters entered the fortress in shifts, 10 at a time.
"When will it be over? Only God knows," said Tella Arab, a northern alliance fighter waiting outside the fortress.
Alliance officers said about 40 of their troops had died in the uprising along with hundreds of resisters. Alliance commanders said the holdouts, trapped in a tower, were running out of ammunition and wouldn't last long.
"Those who are left over will be dead," said Alim Razim, an aide to the northern alliance commander, Gen. Rashid Dostum, who is responsible for controlling the fortress. "None of them can escape."
By BURT HERMAN Associated Press Writer
Copyright 2001 Associated Press, All rights reserved
tell the NA and all civilians to move at least a mile from the prison and then send in the AC-130U's to clean up.
You think maybe they could realize a 90% accuracy rate with a bomb isn't THAT good. I mean that last 10% can cause a lot of grief. Hopefully someone is working to makes these things even more reliable.
If they have any brains they'll save the last round for themselves; either that or get clubbed to death by the NA.
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