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CNN Sunday Morning

Firefight Involving U.S. Troops in Afghanistan

Aired April 14, 2002 - 10:30   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: OK, let's check in at the Pentagon. Word of a firefight involving U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Bob, what's the latest?

BOB COSTANTINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: U.S. special forces and allied Afghan troops were patrolling a road Saturday night when they were fired upon. Major Brian Hilferdy (ph) a spokesman for the U.S. military at the Bagram Air Base would not disclose the location of this incident. He did tell CNN a gunship was called in to fire heavy artillery rounds towards the enemy and as Hilferdy put it, we believe they killed several of the terrorists.

He added more information is being gathered at the scene to determine who is responsible for this incident, but Hilferdy added, "we believe they are al Qaeda or they are al Qaeda or they wouldn't have shot at us." He expressed the view that U.S. troops had been pretty much well received throughout Afghanistan. Although since the ruling Taliban has been overthrown there has been factional fighting that has sprung up within the country.

Now Hilferdy said that he would not disclose again the location of the region, but he indicated that no U.S. or Afghan forces were injured in this incident. The last major firefight in Afghanistan occurred on March 19, outside the town of khost, when we are told 10 al Qaeda fighters were killed.

Khost remains a hotbed of al Qaeda activity because it is part of the path between central Afghanistan into Pakistan and just last night, Hilferdy tells us, two mortar rounds were fired at a U.S.- controlled air strip near Khost. Again, no American forces were injured in that incident. Miles?

O'BRIEN: CNN's Bob Costantini at the Pentagon. Thank you very much.

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