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CNN Live Today

In Afghanistan, British Combat Forces Have Wrapped Up Last Operation in Region

Aired July 09, 2002 - 10:33   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: In Afghanistan, British combat forces have wrapped up their last operation in the region. The British were part of the hunt for Al Qaeda holdouts.

Now, as they prepare to head home, CNN's Nic Robertson takes a closer look at their mission and what comes next in the war in Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Amid scenes of friendliness, unimaginable when they first arrived in April, British Marines await a ride home. After four operations, all named after birds -- ptarmigan, snipe, condor and buzzard -- the British contribution to coalition forces is packing up in eastern Afghanistan and returning to Britain.

COL. BEN CURRY, COALITION SPOKESMAN: At 12:00 Zulu today, task force Jocana hands over responsibility for Ao Jaguar, which signifies the end of "Operation Buzzard," the last planned operation for the task force.

ROBERTSON: By late July, most of the 1,700-strong force will be gone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm glad now it's our last one. We're going home.

ROBERTSON: Lessons learned in the hot and high mountains near the border with Pakistan include pack lighter. However, perhaps one of the biggest frustrations for these Marines returning home is that they weren't able to put into effect many of their battlefield tactics. With Al Qaeda seemingly gone, there was no one to attack.

ROS MILVENAN, BRITISH MARINE: The first impression we got here, we thought we were going to meet the enemy quite a bit, but it's not turned like that, because they have not been here.

JOHN DODS, BRITISH MARINE: Obviously disappointed in a way, but then again the mission is still a success. We denied the enemy that ground.

ROBERTSON: As the British forces withdraw, a clearer picture of where the fight against Al Qaeda is headed appears to be emerging. MAJ. GARY TALLMAN, COALITION SPOKESMAN: We know there are smaller numbers out there. We don't think we are going to see another Anaconda-type mission, but we are ready, if there should be a concentration of forces. We know they've adapted. We know we are not seeing large formations moving as we did in the past.

ROBERTSON: Coalition forces also appear to be adapting, far from rushing more troops to continue the Marines' high-profile role, denying territory to Al Qaeda. Planners point to special forces.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We still have coalition special forces there, and if need be we can send task force Rakasan forces there.

ROBERTSON: Rakasan infantry is backup only, because in the opaque world of coalition planning, operations and strategy, it could be a discernible shift toward a special forces war is taking place in an increasingly post-Al Qaeda Afghanistan.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Bagram, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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