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Commander of Operation Anaconda Says U.S. Forces Won't Let Up

Aired March 14, 2002 - 12:09   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The commander of Operation Anaconda says that U.S. forces will not let up on Al Qaeda. Despite a lull in combat action, he says that battle still not over.

Martin Savidge, the latest now from Bagram air base, north of Kabul, Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Operation Anaconda quickly focusing in now on almost the two-week mark. It is day 13, and there are indications that the operation is entering into a new phase. No significant combat to report in last 24 hours and no U.S. or coalition casualties.

There are said to be about a thousand forces on the ground. That is down from about 2,000 friendly forces at the peak of the battle. There is also the insertion of new forces, Canadian troops. That's significant because it' the first time that Canadian forces have been involved in a combat operation in over 50 years. The last time was the Korean War conflict. Those Canadian force are working with U.S. 10th mountain division forces, involved in sensitive-site exploitation. That's looking into the caves, looking into the abandoned Taliban and Al Qaeda compounds, looking for information.

We also had a briefing from General Hagenbeck, commander of operation anaconda. He said one of the things that initially surprised them was that all of the Taliban and Al Qaeda forces in the region there decided to stay and fight. He says that's a good thing, it was a lucky thing, because as a result, hundreds of their most, what he called experienced killers, are dead.

That led to the question I asked him, what do we know about the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden or Mullah Omar? Were they there during the valley campaign. Could they be perhaps amongst the dead? Here's his answer:

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The big names you and I are most familiar with, however, indications are they are not in this valley. We did not have indications prior to the attack they would be here. But we have indications where they are and I can assure you, that we will track them down and get them before this is over with.

SAVIDGE: General Hagenbeck said that most of the enemy forces the coalition troops were up against were non-Afghan Taliban. He said that the search and Operation Anaconda will go on until General Tommy Franks, the overall commander of the war in Afghanistan, says that it's over, and even then, it really won't be over. They will continue to go after the top leadership of Al Qaeda.

General Hagenbeck said, if I was an Al Qaeda leader, I would sleep with one eye open.

Martin Savidge, CNN, Bagram, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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