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CNN Live Sunday
Military Operations in Afghanistan Continue
Aired July 28, 2002 - 17:40 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.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Two American soldiers seriously wounded in a firefight yesterday in eastern Afghanistan have been sent to a hospital in Germany. Three others are reported in stable condition at Bagram air base.
Glimpses into military operations in Afghanistan have been rare, but in recent weeks, coalition commanders have been more willing to take journalists along on these dangerous operations in al Qaeda territory. Cameraman Bill Skinner brings us the images, and Nic Robertson, the story, of the coalition's biggest operation in the last four months.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Seconds to go. Blinding light, then out, caught in unfamiliar terrain. Safe shelter in the Afghan mountains, priority for the next three days. Orders, not easy to follow at 6,000 feet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to stay here until the platoons are set.
ROBERTSON: Now, rest and regroup.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It all comes down right over there. You got that?
ROBERTSON: With 450 men in the mountains, coordination key.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chopper 95, over.
ROBERTSON: Security, always paramount. Nevertheless, time on guard provides chance to reflect.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was cold. So that was a plus. That was my biggest worry.
ROBERTSON: Military talk for no hostile fire when landing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No resistance at this point. They're consolidating all the people in one spot. Should take about an hour to finish searching that village, over.
ROBERTSON: A few hundred meters from Pakistan, and the first village suspected of helping Taliban or al Qaeda is getting close.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If Alpha or Bravo have success up there, they'll either drive people to us, or maybe supporters will try and come in and get their guns out.
ROBERTSON: Silence takes hold, as other units maneuver, unseen, into position.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Looks like some of their guys took off.
ROBERTSON: Surprise gone. Time to break cover and begin the search.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we tell them to get the weapons, they've been getting the weapons. Been real cooperative so far.
ROBERTSON: Only small arms are found.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's on safe?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you for this. 1954.
ROBERTSON: The mission to find large caches of weapons, turning up empty-handed here. Hopes of catching al Qaeda or Taliban quickly dispelled, as each of the impoverished huts turns up empty. No one here seemingly particularly phased by the arrival of U.S. troops.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We go into a village and set up a block and position, in order to watch the border so no Taliban or al Qaeda can infill (ph) or exfill (ph).
ROBERTSON: Late in the day, still no success. A change of mission seems likely.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is still no word on the change of mission. Here's the plan I'm looking at now, have the first platoon walk the route (ph) line.
ROBERTSON: More hiking over the steep hills. This time, to a new rendezvous. Efforts now under way to maximize the massive force in the field.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We haven't really found anything yet. I think probably Nuraiza (ph) has a lot more, so we're going be pushing up there. And that's really why we changed the mission.
ROBERTSON: For such a big operation, a change of mission no simple matter. Commanders, squad leaders, airlift controllers and intelligence must all combine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This area right here on the border. We're looking at land just somewhere right around here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, here's the deal, brother. I got a company, a line company, about 125 guys, scouts and mortars, which is about another 40 guys. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) more of a presence to show them that we're all over the place.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is there any chance we could get on the flight?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From here, yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), weapons, so you're going to find some pretty well armed guys up there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they shoot at you, they're bad guys.
ROBERTSON: Air lifted in the next day, security again a priority. Figuring out the best way in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like it shows there being a bunch of buildings up here which aren't there, so these may or may not be there.
ROBERTSON: Time for one more patrol. Time, too, to reflect on lessons learned this mission.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And there's so many places to hide in this area. Really, we could be searching every hilltop for years and not find everything.
ROBERTSON: This mission, however, found plenty. Several trucks of weapons and ammunition, captured. One man detained, and three taken in for questioning.
A failure, if measured by the number of al Qaeda caught. A success if judged by the number of targets searched. A bonus -- all the men are now more experienced. And a relief, all are returning safe and sound.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Kabul, Afghanistan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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