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U.S. Dealys Transfer of Najaf Security Detail
Aired September 01, 2003 - 14:04 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: Well, the fall-out from Friday's mosque attack includes a delay in the hand-over of security responsibilities to a multinational force led by Poland.
CNN's Barbara Starr live from the Pentagon with that and with some hot and heavy fighting going on in Afghanistan.
Barbara, let's start with the multinational force led by Poland. I remember being in Iraq and learning of the Polish forces. Quite an important ally to the United States.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Kyra. This is really one of the central parts of the U.S. effort to develop a multinational force in Iraq and begin to take a solely U.S. face off the military operation there.
The Polish multinational division is to be based in south central Iraq around the Najaf area, and within the next few days, that multinational division, led by the Polish military, is scheduled to take command from the First Marine Expeditionary Force. Now, the overall change in command will take place but what will be different now is security for the city of Najaf will remain in the hands of the Marines for some days to come, until the situation stabilizes there. No one is saying when the security now will be turned over to the multinational division.
But still sources tell us that the Marines will keep a very low profile in the city. They will keep an eye on things. But at this point, the people of Najaf have indicated they do not want U.S. military patrols around those holy sites in the city. So the Marines will stay. It will not be turned over to the multinational division just yet and they will attempt to keep a very low profile until things stabilize -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Meanwhile, Barbara, in Afghanistan, two major missions going on. I guess you could say a little low profile with the number of troops. Very successful with regard to rounding up al Qaeda, yes?
STARR: Well, this is very interesting. It is Afghanistan that is getting hot over the last few days.
Major operation involving several hundred U.S. troops has now been launched in south central Afghanistan and they are on the hunt for what they believe may be hundreds of Taliban. Sources say they have intelligence reports that Taliban are gathering in these areas of Zabol and Oruzgan province. These are long-time Taliban strongholds. And now, an operation called Mountain Viper has been launched, especially in the remote Dashopan (ph) mountains of this area.
The troop conducted a little noticed air assault into the region over the weekend. They have already killed and captured any number of Taliban suspects. What they are looking at in this area, we are told, is small groups of Taliban but in much larger numbers. Large numbers of small groups, if you will. And the concern about these Taliban groups as they operate in this remote mountainous area. There have been a number of attacks in recent days, a number of operations launched by these suspected Taliban.
If they continue unchecked there is concern that they could begin to destabilize the government, the central government of Afghanistan, led by Hamid Karzai. That is something the U.S. military does not want to see happen. And you're right. This is the second operation. This is another ongoing operation off to the east, along the Pakistan border. This is called Operation Warrior Sweep. That has been going on nearly since the middle of July. They are continuing to conduct operations through that area, also looking for Taliban and suspected al Qaeda. One of their major missions is to patrol that road between Gardez and Khowst looking for any suspicious movements along that region.
So a lot of activity in Afghanistan over the last few weeks and more to come -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr live from the Pentagon, 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
Aired September 1, 2003 - 14:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the fall-out from Friday's mosque attack includes a delay in the hand-over of security responsibilities to a multinational force led by Poland.
CNN's Barbara Starr live from the Pentagon with that and with some hot and heavy fighting going on in Afghanistan.
Barbara, let's start with the multinational force led by Poland. I remember being in Iraq and learning of the Polish forces. Quite an important ally to the United States.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Kyra. This is really one of the central parts of the U.S. effort to develop a multinational force in Iraq and begin to take a solely U.S. face off the military operation there.
The Polish multinational division is to be based in south central Iraq around the Najaf area, and within the next few days, that multinational division, led by the Polish military, is scheduled to take command from the First Marine Expeditionary Force. Now, the overall change in command will take place but what will be different now is security for the city of Najaf will remain in the hands of the Marines for some days to come, until the situation stabilizes there. No one is saying when the security now will be turned over to the multinational division.
But still sources tell us that the Marines will keep a very low profile in the city. They will keep an eye on things. But at this point, the people of Najaf have indicated they do not want U.S. military patrols around those holy sites in the city. So the Marines will stay. It will not be turned over to the multinational division just yet and they will attempt to keep a very low profile until things stabilize -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Meanwhile, Barbara, in Afghanistan, two major missions going on. I guess you could say a little low profile with the number of troops. Very successful with regard to rounding up al Qaeda, yes?
STARR: Well, this is very interesting. It is Afghanistan that is getting hot over the last few days.
Major operation involving several hundred U.S. troops has now been launched in south central Afghanistan and they are on the hunt for what they believe may be hundreds of Taliban. Sources say they have intelligence reports that Taliban are gathering in these areas of Zabol and Oruzgan province. These are long-time Taliban strongholds. And now, an operation called Mountain Viper has been launched, especially in the remote Dashopan (ph) mountains of this area.
The troop conducted a little noticed air assault into the region over the weekend. They have already killed and captured any number of Taliban suspects. What they are looking at in this area, we are told, is small groups of Taliban but in much larger numbers. Large numbers of small groups, if you will. And the concern about these Taliban groups as they operate in this remote mountainous area. There have been a number of attacks in recent days, a number of operations launched by these suspected Taliban.
If they continue unchecked there is concern that they could begin to destabilize the government, the central government of Afghanistan, led by Hamid Karzai. That is something the U.S. military does not want to see happen. And you're right. This is the second operation. This is another ongoing operation off to the east, along the Pakistan border. This is called Operation Warrior Sweep. That has been going on nearly since the middle of July. They are continuing to conduct operations through that area, also looking for Taliban and suspected al Qaeda. One of their major missions is to patrol that road between Gardez and Khowst looking for any suspicious movements along that region.
So a lot of activity in Afghanistan over the last few weeks and more to come -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr live from the Pentagon, 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
