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Rumsfeld: Too Early to Decide What Led to Afghan Civilian Deaths

Aired July 02, 2002 - 14:30   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: There are two stories we have been working on in Afghanistan, and that is Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld saying it's still too early to know what really happened in Southern Afghanistan with those civilian deaths. Also, the other story coming out of the Pentagon, our Barbara Starr was the first one to talk about this, and that was the attack on the U.S. convoy.

Barbara, where do you want to start?

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, let's start with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. About two and half hours ago he held a half-hour press conference here in the Pentagon briefing room. And you're right, Kyra. He asked for a little patience on this matter. He said it's going to take a couple of days to sort out exactly what did happen.

They simply do not know at this point for certain how the injuries occurred, how the causalities, the possible fatalities occurred. An investigation team, a joint team of U.S. and Afghan officials, are in the region where this incident took place.

They are interviewing people on the ground. They hope to get more details and find out exactly what occurred. And of course they are now going to the hospitals in Afghanistan and Kandahar where the other injured people have been taken to see what those people can tell them about what occurred.

But Pentagon officials do have a couple of hints, a couple of directions that they are looking at. They now believe it was not an errant bomb from a B-52 going astray that caused any of the potential deaths or injuries. Their assessment is that bomb that went astray hit the side of a mountain about 3,000 yards from its intended target. And there were no people on that side of the mountain.

What we also know is the AC-130 gunship, which was called in to respond to what pilots said was antiaircraft artillery fire, engaged a number of targets across a broad area. We are told it was across several miles, several targets. So they are going to be looking at that and seeing what they can determine.

One of the key questions still on the table, no clear answer, is it possible, is it possible the AC-130 pilots mistook rifle fire from a wedding celebration for antiaircraft artillery fire. Vice chairman of the joint chief of staff, General Peter Pace, talked about that at the Pentagon earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. PETER PACE,JOINT CHIEFS VICE CHAIRMAN: The time that the weapons from the AC-130 were being fired at the ground, that the controller on the ground and the air crew in the airplane believed they were returning fire against antiaircraft weapons, which has happened repeatedly in that particular area, and which was reported to be taking place at the time that the AC-130 fired.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: We know now, of course, that this was a much larger, broader mission than first realized. U.S. troops had been in this area along with coalition, with Afghan forces, since late last week conducting reconnaissance and patrols across a broad area. They had reason to believe, they say, that Taliban and al-Qaeda were moving through the region. And they were hoping to engage a number of those targets. And in fact, they tell us, six of the bombs dropped from the B-52 did in fact hit their intended targets, which were Taliban or al- Qaeda cave complexes and possible weapons sites -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, thank you so much.

Now we are going talk more about that U.S. convoy that came under attack. We're going to go live to Kandahar where I understand we have our Alphonso Van Marsh by phone.

Alphonso, what can you tell us about that attack?

ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we're getting word again that a three-car convoy was heading back from hospital in Kandahar where many of the bombing victims were taken for treatment. We understand that U.S. forces were in the convoy offering medical assistance to those at the hospital.

On their way back they were ambushed. That took place in the area right downtown in Kandahar. Kandahar is about a 30-minute drive from the air base where many of the forces are stationed. We understand that one person on the convoy was injured, shot in the foot, and doing all right.

PHILLIPS: All right, Alphonso Van Marsh, thanks for that update. We'll continue to follow that as we get more information. Once again, the U.S. convoy coming under attack in Kandahar there.

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