Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Capture of Shah-e-Kot May Signal Winding Down of Operation Anaconda

Aired March 13, 2002 - 05:06   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about Operation Anaconda now. It may be nearing an end after the Allied capture of a key valley in eastern Afghanistan.

CNN's Nic Robertson is near Gardez and he joins us live by phone -- Nic, what can you tell us?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, I am in the village of Shah-e-Kot now. You may be able to hear Apache helicopters flying overhead. Shah-e-Kot has been the focus of the coalition's efforts to drive out Taliban and al Qaeda. They were believed to be hiding in this village.

A few hours ago, Afghan and U.S. special forces met up in this village. This village appears to have been under sustained attack for some time. Now, the U.S. special forces came down from the high ground surrounding the village of Shah-e-Kot and the Afghan forces under two different commanders entered from the north and from the south of the village.

There is no more fighting in this village. However, it is clear there has been an intense battle to take control of Shah-e-Kot. Shah- e-Kot, of course, the holdout of Taliban and al Qaeda. Both U.S. and Afghan commanders tell us that they have found al Qaeda and Taliban bodies in this area. They also say that while they were advancing on this area they have seen or believe that Taliban and al Qaeda members may have escaped into the mountains from the village as they came into this area.

However, Shah-e-Kot was the focus of Operation Anaconda to drive out and defeat Taliban and al Qaeda. And that element of Operation Anaconda appears, Carol, to have been achieved.

COSTELLO: So, Nic, what do you think is next?

ROBERTSON: Talking with the commanders here, Carol, they say that what they need to do is clean up this area. They have literally only in the last few hours taken control of Shah-e-Kot and married up the different elements of the coalition forces. They say they need to do a cleanup operation, they need to spread out in this area, they need to regroup, resupply and refuel. And they also need to try and track and follow the escaping Taliban and al Qaeda members into the mountains. Now, it was reported that in this village of Shah-e-Kot, some of the Arab al Qaeda members had taken their families and their families had hidden out here with them. The, both U.S. and Afghan forces who have arrived say that they have seen no evidence of that, that they believe perhaps some of the family members have escaped further into Afghanistan.

The other way, back through the mountains that some other Taliban and al Qaeda elements may have escaped, is in the direction of Pakistan. Unclear how many have escaped and unclear exactly where they have gone at this time, Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Nic Robertson reporting live for us from near Gardez, Afghanistan this morning. Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com