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CNN Saturday Morning News

U.S. Rejects Taliban Report of Shot-Down Jet

Aired December 01, 2001 - 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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: We want to check in on the latest in military operations on the part of the U.S. in Afghanistan. And for that we are going to turn not to Jonathan Aiken, who is live at the Pentagon this morning -- Jonathan.

JONATHAN AIKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Marty.

As Kyra mentioned, a quick denial from U.S. officials to the claims from the former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan that the U.S. jet was shot down near Kandahar's airport during activity there Saturday morning. The Marine Corps major Ralph Mills, who is stationed with the U.S. central command in Tampa, Florida, which is the headquarters of the U.S. military operation in Afghanistan, have told us that all planes had returned safely to base. The claim was also denied by officials in Islamabad, officials speaking for the U.S.-led coalition.

Not to say that it has not been an inactive day in Afghanistan. There have been two areas that the United States has been connecting on with bombardment, Kandahar and Kandahar Province is one. Kandahar, the Taliban stronghold, and the southern part of the city that you see -- or the southern part of the country that you see there. Heavy bombardment around the airport, we're told, and other spots within the province.

Now go up on the map just a little bit to the right hand side, to the right of Kabul there, you'll see Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan. We're getting word that the White Mountains has been a favorite target of U.S. military activity. The White Mountains there south of Jalalabad, about 600 non-Afghan Taliban fighters and members of al Qaeda thought to be hiding in caves in the rugged terrain in and around that region.

We are also getting reports that a village, a village, Kama Ado, about 50 kilometers, 30 miles, to the south of Jalalabad, was destroyed when apparently some U.S. and coalition bombing went awry Saturday morning. According to eyewitnesses, between 100 and 200 civilians were killed and about 25 to 50 bombs were dropped. U.S. military officials telling the Associated Press Saturday morning in Islamabad that there was no information available on that claim. Not surprising, it takes some time for damage assessments to be done.

The bombing raid took place, we're told, in the middle of the night, according to this eyewitness, who said that the United States may have actually made a mistake because the lights in the village were on because it's Ramadan.

Muslims not allowed to eat between sunrise and sunset during this period of time and so there are large feasts that usually take place just before sunrise and immediately afterwards when the sun goes down.

Not, let's get back to Kandahar. In particular, let's get back about 70 miles southwest of Kandahar to those U.S. marines, about a battalion's worth, as you mentioned, stationed at a remote air strip about 70 miles southwest of the city, dug in for the long haul, no orders to move yet, though they have been trying to interdict the Taliban and restrict their movements both in and around the area.

One general says that they haven't had any orders to move yet, but when those orders do come they will be carried out with a vengeance -- Kyra.

SAVIDGE: Jonathan Aiken, thanks very much, joining us live from the Pentagon this morning with an update -- Kyra.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: That's all right. We're the same person.

U.S. marines in Afghanistan are promising to accomplish other orders "with a vengeance."

CNN military analyst and retired Air Force Major General Don Shepperd joins us this morning from Washington.

General, good to see you.

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, we've got some new pictures of marines at the forward operating base in southern Afghanistan. What are they going to do while they await orders? Obviously there's a lot of classified information here, but what can you tell us?

SHEPPERD: Well, they're not telling us exactly where they are other than southwest of Kandahar. They're digging holes, they're digging in. The first thing you do when you establish a location is you protect yourself. You set up your machine guns, your mortars so that if you're attacked and you also prepare to move out.

Now these marines are from the 15th MEU, the marine expeditionary unit in the Arabian Sea. About 1,000 of them, roughly, the reinforced battalion size and they are having other of their equipment brought in such as tanks, vehicles and that type of thing. They're getting ready to go into combat wherever they're needed, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Now, the last time the marines were involved in urban combat was Vietnam and the Tet offensive, and you were there. If it comes to that, what can we expect?

SHEPPERD: Well, you can expect some really ugly fighting. I remember taking off the morning of Tet, the morning after the Tet attacks en route to North Vietnam, looking down on the city of Hei and all the cities up and down the coast were burning. And I was looking down thinking, boy, I'm certainly glad I'm not on the ground today. Then going to North Vietnam, getting all shot up and saying, you know, it's not all that great being a fighter pilot either.

Some really tough things went on during Hei. But this house to house, in city fighting is the worst kind of fighting that there can be. So you really want to avoid it if at all possible. That's why the negotiations are going on for a negotiated settlement as opposed to city fighting. It's awful.

PHILLIPS: Well, the marines and anti-Taliban forces appear to be closing their circle around Kandahar. What's the objective here?

SHEPPERD: Well, what you've got, remember, you've got road coming south out of Kandahar to the town of Spin Boldak, which is on the Afghan side of the border. Right across the border is the town of Chaman. Now, this road is key for escape routes, it's key for smuggling and resupply routes. So the Taliban still own the road, all the way to Spin Boldak. Two tribes have been negotiating the turnover of Spin Boldak, but they're fighting over which tribe to get it.

Also, there have been attacks at a town called Taqtepol (ph), which is about a third of the way from Kandahar down. The opposition forces under Gul Agha, one of the tribal leaders, took the town earlier in the week. It's now been retaken by the Taliban, so they're still a force.

You've got Hamid Karzai coming from the north. You've got the marines to the southwest and, of course, way far in the northeast you have the Northern Alliance forces.

So Kandahar is essentially surrounded. It could be a desperate fight. It could be a negotiated settlement. I expect some fighting at the end, but hopefully we'll get out of it without the city being destroyed.

PHILLIPS: Well, it'll be interesting to see how long the Taliban can hold out.

General Don Shepperd, we'll see you again in a couple of hours. Thanks so much, sir.

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