Allied troops overrun three Taliban hideouts

Daily Times of Pakistan ^ | 09/03/03

[Straight Vermonter]

* US bombing continues * Taliban get 300 reinforcements * Hekmatyar’s aide held in Kabul

QALAT: Afghan and US troops overran three suspected Taliban positions in the mountains of southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, while American bombing echoed through the rugged region, officials said.

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 Dai Chopan district of Zabul province, 300 kilometres southwest of Kabul.

General Haji Saifullah Khan, the main Afghan commander in Dai Chopan, said US warplanes and helicopter gunships kept up their barrage until shortly before dawn on Tuesday.

Gen Khan said the Taliban had been pushed back from three hideouts but were continuing to hunker down, using the rough terrain as their shield. “It’s a huge mountain with many gorges in it. It provides very excellent shelter against bombing,” he said.

The commander said his men would offer the Taliban in other hideouts a chance to surrender. “We have tightened our siege. We are very close to the Taliban positions. We will try to make them surrender. If they do not surrender then fighting will start.”

Gen Khan said US warplanes targeted the Sairo Gar mountain area. His ground troops found bedding and turbans but no weapons at the three locations – Kafir Shaila, Kabai and Ragh – that were overrun. There was no ground fighting as the Taliban simply retreated from their positions.

“As a result of the offensive several anti-coalition elements have fled the area making them more vulnerable to attack,” Col Davis said in a statement from Bagram Air Base. There were no reported coalition casualties in the latest fighting, he said. He had no details on Taliban casualties.

A Taliban commander told Reuters his comrades battling US and Afghan troops in Dai Chopan had been sent 300 more fighters.

Maulvi Faizullah said the fresh wave of militants had been deployed to join up to 1,000 others. The reinforcements were being led by former Taliban education minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. They had been sent from Khost province in the east bordering Pakistan, he said. –AFP/AP/Reuters

Meanwhile, Afghan authorities have arrested a former Mujahideen commander loyal to warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a senior police official said on Tuesday.

Kabul’s deputy police chief, Khalil Aminzada, said Commander Qalam of Mr Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami faction was arrested in a raid along with four colleagues in the city on Sunday night. —Reuters

[xzins]

Is this the same action that yesterday Al Jazeera was calling "the last stand of Mullah Omar?"

Sounds like Al Jazeera got it wrong again.

[Straight Vermonter]

Lots more Talibunny news.

[Starrgaizr]

"Gen Khan" -- where I have I heard that name before?

AQ and Taliban must be hurting if they haven't been able to pull off mass assassinations in Afghanistan. We are winning this war. GWB is playing rope-a-dope and next year will be a year of good news and I-told-you-so taunts. Even Hillary knows it.

[BigWaveBetty]

Good job, considering we've forgotten the war in Afghanistan. /sarcasm

[xzins]

I'd expect a starrgaizr to be a trekkie.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[xp38]

The Asian ground wars have arrived a little later than expected in the ST timeline. I suspect someone has been fiddling with the space time continuum. :)

[StriperSniper]

O.K., where's(and when's) Q?

[McGavin999]

I expect the Tali-tubbies to get wiped out by this time next year.

[xzins]

Don't ya just hate it when they fiddle with that thing?

[xp38]

Indeed. While doing research I found this Star Trek Chronology and boy did we miss a lot in the last few decades. Somehow in 1992 WW III began and no mention of Clinton.

[JohnnyZ]

The reinforcements were being led by former Taliban education minister Amir Khan Muttaqi

Education minister. I love it! We should send Rod Paige over there to beat his ***.

[montag813]

Allied troops overrun three Taliban hideouts

This CANT be true, WAR HERO JOHN F. KERRY said this is a quagmire and that our out-gunned soldiers are being slaughtered! JFK cannot be wrong!!!

[TheCrusader]

""Gen Khan" -- where I have I heard that name before?"

Probably Ghengis Kkan, or his desdendent James Cahn. Or it could be Shaka Khan?

[Go Gordon]

A Taliban commander told Reuters his comrades battling US and Afghan troops in Dai Chopan had been sent 300 more fighters.

Post script: 300 more body bags drop shipped in the mountains of Dai Chopan district of Zabul province, 300 kilometres southwest of Kabul.

[McGavin999]

LOL, we ought to be running short of those pretty soon now.

[mrtysmm]

I think I remember something like we had "carpet bombs" a while ago......
I think it's time to get them out of the mothballs!!

[gonzo]

"Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor, not a 'starrgaizr'"...........FRegards