Canadian forces search caves in Afghanistan (Operation Harpoon)

Hundreds of Canadian soldiers have begun searching booby-trapped caves used by Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters in eastern Afghanistan, coalition forces said today.

Some 500, mainly Canadian, infantry soldiers are taking part in "Operation Harpoon," which is "designed to destroy the remaining pockets of Taliban and al-Qaeda elements," in the Shahi Kot Valley and Arma mountains, spokesman Lieut Luc Charron said.

The search is part of "Operation Anaconda", the US-led military offensive against the last known stronghold of Taliban and al-Qaeda forces.

US Maj Bryan Hilferty, a spokesman for the US-led forces, said the focus today of Operation Anaconda was now on "sensitive site exploitations" of caves used by the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

"We have discovered caves and mortar positions, we have destroyed the mortar positions, and we'll be doing more cave work today. We will probably blow them up but we want to exploit them," he said. But he refused to comment on the type of intelligence found in the cave searches so far.

Afghan soldiers continue to occupy the Shahi Kot Valley, some 30 kilometers south of the eastern Paktia provincial capital Gardez, Maj Hilferty said.

"Operation Anaconda continues. We still have more than 1,000 soldiers on the ground actively searching for the terrorists but we've seen little movement in the last 24 hours," he said.

Few Taliban and al-Qaeda corpses had been found, although coalition forces were confident they had killed "hundreds," he said.

You know we have an army and were just trying to be funny. Anyone who is ignorant of the truth always tries to be funny. And I might be a punk but I spent almost 30 years in the military and I have earned the right. Also, that is why I don't like anybody making fun of the military from any country. They are over there fighting and your sitting save at home with the only thing to worry about is a run in both your nylons and eye shadow. And you thinking Canada is a socialist country is more of your liberal foolishness and ignorance. We are less socialist than any country I can think of. Know why, because we pay for everything out of our own pocket. The only hand-out up here is to the elderly and they deserve it. And for your info California kept more drafdodgers than we did. They were only up here as a favour to your gov't who were glad to get rid of them so they wouldn't be around to demonstrate against their country like the sink Prez. And Jane Fonda. Talk about socialists, you wouldn't know one if you fell over one. When they were up here they kept their mouth shut and when Nixon pardoned them they didn't want to go home. Now put on your panties for us, take your Playgirl Magazine and hit the sheets with your doll. Scumbag wuzz, why don't you join up.

Way to go Snowyman. You are right on the money there and I can count about 14 cousins of mine who were born in the USA and served in Nam. Four never came home and their names are on the wall. Six served in both Korea and Viet Nam Also least two friends of mine were killed in Nam after joining the Marines.

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