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CNN Live Today

British Marines Join U.S.-Led Effort Against Al Qaeda

Aired April 16, 2002 - 13:40   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We turn now to Afghanistan, the ongoing war on terror. About 1,700 British marines have joined the U.S.-led effort to clear pockets of al Qaeda fighters from the mountains of eastern Afghanistan. That was just one of the topics that came up at this morning's Pentagon briefing. Our Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre joins us live with more details. Hi, Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. British are calling this "Operation a Ptarmigan," which is a small grouse-like bird.

The U.S. says this is part of a broader effort known as "Operation Mountain Lion." Nevertheless, several hundred British troops are now out and scouring an area officially conducting what's known as site exploitation looking for intelligence and evidence of where Taliban and al Qaeda might have been. Obviously, they are also searching for any pockets of resistance, and they are prepared to engage in combat if they encounter any enemy forces.

So far, we are told they have not. The pentagon is quite proud of the fact that this element of British royal marines is taking part, showing that this is, in fact, a coalition effort in the war against terrorism.

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BRIG. GEN. JOHN ROSA, PENTAGON SPOKESMAN: Elements of coalition forces involved in missions in support of "Mountain Lion," at any given time, vary in composition, size and location. And their missions vary in scope and duration. This mission, involving British forces that began yesterday, exemplifies the diversity and versatility that coalition participants provide in the execution of operations in Afghanistan and worldwide in the "Operation Enduring Freedom"

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MCINTYRE: Meanwhile, the pentagon today continued to express its regrets to the families of four U.S. soldiers killed yesterday in near Kandahar, in a bomb disposal operation. The bodies of those soldiers were loaded on a transport plane arriving today in Ramstein, Germany, on route to the United States. The pentagon identified the dead soldiers today as Staff Sgt. Brian T. Craig, Staff Sgt. Justin Galewski, Sgt. Jamie O. Maugans, and Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Romero. This accident is still under investigation.

As far as they know, these soldiers were destroying some captured ordinance, including some old Chinese 107-millimeter rockets, when apparently something went wrong. The pentagon says it is still under investigation. They don't know yet what happened to cause the deaths of those soldiers and the wounding of another U.S. soldier as well. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. Jamie McIntyre, thank you very much. Coming up right after this break, a very disturbing story in Texas today. A 15-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy have been charged with murdering their 6-year-old brother. We will have more right after this break.

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