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CNN Sunday Morning

U.S. Troops Celebrate Easter in Afghanistan

Aired March 31, 2002 - 11:58   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Easter in Afghanistan is an assignment few allied troops would wish for this holiday weekend, but those who have no choice -- they're trying to make the best of it. CNN's Ryan Chilcote reports from Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Easter Day service is special here for the troops here at the Kandahar Air Base, but for most of them it's incomplete without the families they've left behind. So the troops wait in line to call home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I felt kind of sad because I wasn't actually there to share the holiday with them. and my family was sad as well. They wish I was home. But it was good just to hear their voices.

CHILCOTE: Or send e-mails.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan's natural elements continued to dog the war effort here.

Dust storms like today's cause wear and tear on the machines of war and limit their ability to engage the enemy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's almost like fighting blind. A lot of times it's even worse then fighting at night because at least in the night we still have our night visions goggles and we can see. But, again, if we can't see 400 feet in front of us our troops can't see what they're going for and what they're trying to do so it's a very big factor.

CHILCOTE: But the troops tell CNN it's getting harder to find the enemy even during the night. The troops say the enemy is concentrating in smaller pockets and disguising themselves as civilians.

For most of the troops this is not their first holiday away from home and few of them think it will be their last.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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