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American Morning

U.S. Soldier Killed in Afghanistan

Aired May 20, 2002 - 08:01   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, a U.S. soldier is killed while on patrol in eastern Afghanistan. While searching for al Qaeda and Taliban fighters yesterday, his unit came under heavy fire.

For more now on this latest casualty, we go to our own Anderson Cooper, who is on assignment in Kabul -- good morning, Anderson.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. Good morning, Jack.

Yes, the sad news was announced earlier this morning by a U.S. military spokesman at Bagram Air Base, just north here of Kabul. Not all the details are in yet. What we do know is this. A U.S. special forces patrol did come under heavy attack. They returned fire. They killed one of the people who was apparently firing at them. One of the Afghans allied with the U.S. fighters there was wounded. And, sadly, a U.S. special forces soldier was killed, as well. We do not know the exact details yet, it has not been announced, of how that soldier died.

Now, keep in mind, this is in an area of eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border. It is an extremely mountainous area and this is the same area where Operation Condor is now under way. That, of course, is the British led operation that took off last Thursday after some Australian special forces were attacked in that area.

Operation Condor, as I said, is under way, and will probably -- most likely last for several more days -- Paula.

ZAHN: And, Anderson, I understand that you got some unprecedented access to what goes on behind-the-scenes when these groups go out on patrol. What are you going to tell us in your next report?

COOPER: Well, coming up in the next hour, we have an inside look at special forces, what one of their most important roles is here. Obviously they are on patrol throughout this country, as we know now from today. But they're also training a brand new Afghan national army, and it could hold the future of Afghanistan. I'll have a report inside that coming up later.

ZAHN: All right, look forward to it.

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