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American Morning

Intense Fighting Marks Anaconda Campaign

Aired March 05, 2002 - 08:03   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Up front this morning, the war in Afghanistan and mounting U.S. casualties. Intense fighting continues in the military campaign's largest and deadliest operation, now known as Anaconda.

At least eight American soldiers have died in the past few days, seven yesterday alone. The assaults to root out Taliban and al Qaeda fighters in a mountainous region in eastern Afghanistan presses on today, and we get the very latest now from CNN's Barbara Starr, who joins us from the Pentagon -- good morning, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again, Paula.

Well, after yesterday, the worst day of combat casualties in this war, there is more action today, but Pentagon sources there say there have been no additional casualties or fatalities overnight.

Heavy airstrikes are continuing throughout this region of eastern Afghanistan around the city of Gardez, where it is said as many as 400 Taliban and al Qaeda have been holed up in a series of caves. About half of that enemy force may now have been killed.

The heavy is still -- the fighting is still heavy today. There are airstrikes. There is action on the ground. Taliban and al Qaeda fighters are maintaining their high ground positions using mortars, machine guns, small arms to attack the allied and U.S. forces.

There is a force of about 2,000 U.S. and coalition troops. All of this is taking place on a very high altitude, about 12,000 feet. The ground troops are moving through, going after very small pockets of Taliban and al Qaeda, 2 to 3 in some cases, maybe pockets as high as 20. But that's making it very rough going, as they move from area to area.

A lot of confusion still about what exactly transpired yesterday, when seven servicemen were killed in two separate helicopter accidents, but it does appear that the men were on the ground for some time in heavy combat before a rescue force could be called in to extract everyone, including the dead and the wounded.

So the total still stands, 8 fatalities, and as many as 40 wounded since this campaign began last Friday -- Paula.

ZAHN: And we certainly don't know how long this phase of the campaign will last, do we?

STARR: No. Pentagon officials, including Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, say it could go on for some time. One Pentagon military official said to us, "We are still going to be talking about all of this as long as a week from now."

ZAHN: All right. Barbara Starr -- appreciate that report.

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