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CNN Saturday Morning News

U.S. Continues Massive Offensive in Afghanistan

Aired March 02, 2002 - 09:03   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's return to CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. She's in Washington now, and she has reaction for us on the new offensive that we've been talking about all morning.

Hi, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kyra.

Well, Pentagon sources tell us this is a major operation. This is the largest U.S. military offensive in Afghanistan since the beginning of the year. It's under way right now.

U.S. and Afghan ground troops are moving into eastern Afghanistan near the city of Gardez, where perhaps hundreds of Taliban and al Qaeda holdouts have been hiding out for the last several weeks. They are moving into this area. The mission is said to be led now by as many as 500 local Afghan fighters, perhaps as many as 600, but that's not exactly clear yet.

CNN has been told that U.S. ground forces are moving in with them. It's expected that these are troops from the 101st Airborne Division, the Army unit that is right now based at Kandahar. They are moving in by helicopter. They are said to be -- the initial forces are said to be on the ground.

Sources are telling CNN that this entire operation could last for some time.

All of this began last night, Friday night. It began with a series of air strikes led by B-52 bombers and fighter aircraft. They dropped a number of weapons there, softening up the targets. It is said that these Taliban and al Qaeda fighters are hiding in caves and other encampments throughout the area.

And we are also told that Pakistan has moved this morning to seal off its border so that the al Qaeda and Taliban cannot escape across the border into Pakistan -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And Barbara, let's talk about Yemen and U.S. troops in Yemen right now. This is strictly a training time, correct?

STARR: That is correct. What is going to happen there, once a final agreement is reached with the government of Yemen, is perhaps as many as 100 U.S. military trainers, including special forces, will go to Yemen and train their military in counterterrorism to help the Yemeni military move better to control terrorist groups inside their own country.

The Yemeni military is poorly equipped, needs some training, needs some equipment. The U.S. will move there and do that.

This is all part of the new U.S. military strategy in the war on terrorism, send in trainers to countries and let their -- help their militaries improve their capability. It's an alternative to sending large numbers of U.S. forces, combat forces, into all of these countries -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Barbara Starr, thank you so much. And Barbara's going to stick around to answer your e-mails in our Reporter's Notebook segment coming up. Barbara, we appreciate that. We'll see you in a little bit.

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