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U.S. Mops Up in Shah-e-kot, Pentagon Admits Women, Children Killed

Aired March 13, 2002 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Up first on CNN: the battle against al Qaeda. The U.S. and its Afghan allies seized a strategic valley today in the eastern part of Afghanistan. This is after a dozen days of war. The operation is in the mopping up phase, though officials expect more small-scale firefights. Our Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson is near the front, in Gardez, Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There appears to be extensive damage in Shah-e-kot that spreads over an area of several square miles by bombs and by missiles. What there appears little of in the village is evidence of a sustained and strong ground offensive.

We did see, on outskirts of the village, about three dead Taliban or al Qaeda fighters in their defensive positions, but inside the village, there was -- appeared to be little evidence of fighters who had died manning their positions. Now, we met up with U.S. Special Forces and Afghan fighters. The Afghan commanders told us that they had encircled the village. They say they had some 900 fighters. One commander and his forces entered from the North, another commander and his forces entered from the South. However, they do say that during that offensive operation, they believe some -- maybe a few, Taliban and al Qaeda elements escaped into the mountains eastwards.

Now, high on these mountains, there are U.S. and Canadian forces in a blocking position. The U.S. commander there told us -- the U.S. Special Forces commander told us that his next directive was to regroup, resupply, and then scour the area. There had been reported Taliban and al Qaeda caves hidden in mountains in that area. He said his next operation was to continue his search. Afghan commanders said the same thing, that they would continue looking for these Taliban and al Qaeda elements, and further east in the village -- in town of Khost that lies between Shah-e-kot and Pakistan where many of the Taliban and al Qaeda elements are believed, perhaps, to be fleeing to.

Security has been stepped up there on the roads, people being disarmed, we are told, and some of the roads leading to Pakistan blocked at this time.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Gardez, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE) DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And let's move to the Pentagon now. Our Barbara Starr has more on Operation Anaconda -- Barbara, good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Well, the Pentagon is finally talking about an incident it has known about for several days. The U.S. military has killed some women and children in an airstrike in Eastern Afghanistan. U.S. fighter aircraft on March 6th bombed vehicles driving on a road in Eastern Afghanistan in what was believed to be an al Qaeda stronghold. 14 people were killed in that attack, some women and children, one small child was wounded.

We are told, now, by U.S. military officials that the U.S. knew about this incident quite soon after it happened. Indeed, the child who was wounded was medevaced out to a military hospital, where that child is now being treated. There is no clear answer as to why the Bush administration did not acknowledge this incident, and it finally issued a press release on the matter last night, some six days after it occurred. We are led to believe this is another incident where U.S. reconnaissance assets, possibly an unmanned aerial vehicle patrolling overhead, observed these vehicles, thought it saw suspicious behavior, and airstrikes were called in.

Now, indeed some men were in this convoy, and they were killed, but women and children also were killed, the Pentagon is now acknowledging.

Operation Anaconda is winding down, but there is still some activity up there. We are also told that U.S. military troops are collecting DNA samples from some of the human remains of the enemy forces killed. They hope this can help them identify some senior al Qaeda leaders. U.S. troops are also attempting to bury some of the dead, when and where they can, but that is going to be a considerable task. Military sources now tell us the estimated enemy killed in this action is 800 -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Quite the job. Getting back to this story of the women and children, the civilians being killed. In past incidents in Afghanistan, Barbara, it seems like it has turned out to be a case of it's all true, yes, indeed, civilians were killed, but they were mixed up in people that the U.S. stands by the fact that these were Taliban, or al Qaeda fighters.

STARR: Well, in this case, we simply don't know yet. The Pentagon is saying 14 people were killed, some were women and children, some were men, but there is no clear identity on these men, according to the Pentagon. They believe these cars were driving through an al Qaeda stronghold. They exhibited suspicious behavior. That led to airstrikes being called in, and it is absolutely correct. In many of these situations, women and children are mixed in with men in some of these convoys, traveling through the area, but we just don't have a lot of details yet as to exactly what transpired -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara, thank you very much.

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