Posted on 03/24/2003 10:49:10 AM PST by knighthawk
In a four-hour clash between US forces and Pacha Khan Zadran in [southeastern Afghan] Paktia [Province], as many as ten people, including Pacha Khan's son, were killed.
Ghamay Khan Mohammad Yar [phonetic], a spokesman for Pacha Khan Zadran, told AIP this morning from Utmani [phonetic] village in the Zadran area of Paktia that US and Afghan forces yesterday, Sunday [23 March 2003], launched massive operations from Gardez [the centre of Paktia Province] on their positions in Sato Kandaw. After they [Zadran forces] put up stiff resistance for four hours, these forces [US and Afghan forces] were defeated and retreated toward Gardez.
Mr Ghamay Khan said: ''In this four-hour battle ten people, including Jilani Khan [phonetic], the elder son of Haji Sahib Pacha Khan Zadran, were killed and ten others from our side were injured''.
He added: "In the fighting, in addition to the US heavy ground weapons, two helicopters and two warplanes bombed our area."
Ghamay Khan told AIP that Pacha Khan Zadran was busy today [24 March] with the funeral ceremony for the deceased.
The spokesman also said that Jilani Khan, the elder son of Pacha Khan, was in charge of military issues.
Sato Kandaw is a very strategic area which is located in southern Gardez on the Gardez-Khost main road. A few days ago, forces from the Gardez Army Corps retreated from this area and the Zadran forces captured it without any fighting.
Referring to the casualties of US and Afghan forces, Zadran's spokesman just said that he had no information with regard to this. The defeat of these forces indicates that the dispute between Zadran and the US and Afghan forces will increase further [he said].
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