Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Look at Operation Condor

Aired May 17, 2002 - 05:02   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: And now for more on Operation Condor.

Let's go to CNN's Mike Boettcher in Kabul, Afghanistan.

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The operation began Thursday night when elements of the Australian SAS, their special forces, came under fire from what they believed to be al Qaeda and Taliban fighters in the mountains of southeast Afghanistan. They returned fire and were helped out of their jam by U.S. air power.

Immediately after that encounter, a huge operation was launched. It's called Operation Condor, with 1,000 British-led troops, with American and Australian elements. They deployed to southeast Afghanistan. The announcement of that operation was made in the morning by Brigadier Roger Lane, who commands British forces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. ROGER LANE, BRITISH ARMY: This morning, elements of Task Force Chicana (ph), supported by coalition air and aviation assets, deployed into the mountains of southeast Afghanistan to assist the Australian SAS task force, who are engaged in combat on what we have called Operation Condor.

I have deployed elements of 4-5 Commando Group, equipped with the full range of combat power by air and by road to close with the enemy and destroy them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOETTCHER: British commanders say Operation Condor will continue on for several days. It comes at a time when the British Royal Marine commandos believed they would have a time of rest before they began their other operations. But this happened last night and the operation began immediately. It is also said by the British commanders that the illness that was spreading through the British camp is not affecting combat operations, that it has been confined to British soldiers who are in a hospital compound and it is not affecting the combat force.

Mike Boettcher, CNN, Kabul, Afghanistan.

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