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CNN Saturday Morning News
Ground Forces Included in Attacks on Afghanistan
Aired October 20, 2001 - 09:01 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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: We are learning more from Washington this morning on Special Operations ground forces that have been included in the attacks on Afghanistan.
For the latest on that, we go to CNN's Sheilah Kast, who joins us from the Pentagon with details.
Good morning to you, Sheilah.
SHEILAH KAST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Martin.
Yes, about 100 Special Operations combat troops went into Afghanistan Friday night, including Army Rangers. They were -- they completed an operation against a target in Kandahar, which is a military stronghold of the ruling Taliban government, and we're told they were working with the Northern Alliance, the main military opposition to the Taliban.
One report said that the target was at the airport in Kandahar. The Pentagon has not specified what the objective was or whether it considers it a successful operation.
The Pentagon did say that all the helicopters that went into Afghanistan came out again, but there was another helicopter which crashed in Pakistan about 15 miles south of the Afghan border, crashed near an airfield which the U.S. has permission from Pakistan to use. Two military personnel were killed.
This apparently was a search and rescue helicopter performing a support role, which the Pentagon has not specified. And of course the Pentagon has not identified the two personnel killed until their families have been notified.
President Bush was told about their deaths, and he said, quote, "They will not have died in vain," he said, because they died in a cause he called "just and right."
Moving into a ground phase was a move that many observers had expected. And just hours before it happened, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld told reporters that the U.S. has very clear objectives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: The military role will be over there when the Taliban and the al Qaeda are gone, gone. And that's what this is about. The United States has said that it's going to take the effort to the terrorists, and the terrorists are in, among other places, are in Afghanistan. And that is what this is about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAST: And given what has happened in the hours right after Rumsfeld spoke, taking the effort to the terrorists seems to have been part of what was going on with the ground action. The air campaign continues today -- Martin.
SAVIDGE: Sheilah, the lost helicopter, understanding, of course, that the military would want to notify family members, as they should, first, otherwise, what is the reluctance of identifying, say, the type of aircraft involved here, beyond just being a helicopter?
KAST: It's hard to say, Martin, what the reluctance is, except a general very closed-mouthed attitude about the operations in this war, so as not to endanger what's going on. Neither has the Pentagon identified the particular service that these military personnel served in.
SAVIDGE: And is there any other reason to believe that perhaps ground forces may be operating somewhere else now inside of Afghanistan, or are we sort of being given the indication they're done for now?
KAST: We're not being really given any clear indication at all, and that's part of why we're so eagerly waiting what we hope will be some further information in a few hours from the Pentagon.
SAVIDGE: Is it anticipated that you'll have briefings now today on that subject or anything else further militarily?
KAST: Anticipated, certainly not locked in. But there seems to be some thinking that there may be some more information forthcoming today.
SAVIDGE: Not to press a point, but how do they notify you? How are you -- how far in advance are you told to expect a briefing?
KAST: Well, they know quite well that there are reporters already in the building and others who would be here very quickly, so they don't need to give a lot of notice. And they spread the word as soon as they've made a decision. There probably would not be a great deal of notice.
SAVIDGE: All right. Sheilah Kast reporting to us from the Pentagon.
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