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> <A > HREF="http://www.ummahnews.com/viewarticle.php?sid=3050";>http://www.ummahnew > s.com/viewarticle.php?sid=3050</A> > > > > Over 100 US servicemen killed so far > in Afghanistan says Russian agency > 2002-03-16 19:36:23 > Itar-Tass > 16 March 2002 > > The armed forces of the United States have lost > 102 men killed and 124 > wounded during the "anti-terrorist" operation which > began in Afghanistan in > October 2001. The figure was furnished to Itar-Tass > by military sources in > the Afghan capital. > > They noted that the indicated > number of killed and wounded American officers > and men included only the > "combat losses" sustained by U.S. troops during the > operations against > Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters. > > If the more than 50 Americans, who lost > their lives in various accidents, > including those in the republics of > Central Asia, and the few dozens of men > wounded under similar > circumstances, were to be added to this figure, the > total number of > casualties would reach about 300. > > The American Air Force has lost about 15 > aircraft during the operation in > Afghanistan. The number of American > warplanes shot down does not include the > F-14 "Tomcat" deck fighters, since > these losses have not been confirmed, the > sources said. > > About 1,000 > American, Afghan and Canadian servicemen are now searching > mountain caves > near the town of Gardez, 150 kilometres to the south of Kabul, > which > previously provided shelter to Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters. Pentagon > official Dave Lapen said that allied soldiers were now destroying the > weapons > and ammunition discarded by terrorists, looking for documents that > could shed > light on them. According to Lapen, the search is proceeding > slowly owing to > booby-traps. > > The U.S. intelligence has found at least > 12more seats of Al-Qaeda and Talib > resistance in Afghanistan. This was > reported in Thursday�s issue of the New > York Post, which quoted Pentagon > officials. The newspaper notes that none of > these areas are comparable, as > regards the number of defenders, to the > Shah-i-Kot Valley in Paktia > Province, where fierce battles were recently > fought in the course of the > "Anaconda" operation. According to Pentagon > estimates, this enemy group > consists of about 1,000 men. > > Officials of the U.S. Defence Department > noted that small groups of American > commandos were now launching > reconnaissance raids against Taliban > concentrations in Southeastern > Afghanistan. Their task is to obtain > information for new large-scale > operations, similar to "Anaconda". > > According to the newspaper, one of the > areas, where enemy fighters are > concentrated, is near Kandahar, on the > territory of the Pushtun tribe to > which Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar > belongs. > > Three Al-Qaeda fighters were killed on Thursday by Canadian and > American > soldiers in the course of the "Harpoon" operation under way in > Eastern > Afghanistan. Officials of the Canadian National Defence Ministry > reported > that 500 Canadian and 100 American servicemen, commanded by a > Canadian > officer, were taking part in that operation. > > According to > Canadian military sources, the purpose of the operation is to > wipe out or > capture about 100 Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters, entrenched in > the > mountains south of Gardez. The area was heavily bombed before the > operation > began. It is reported that heavy fire was exchanged there on > Thursday. > There were no losses reported among the Canadian and American > soldiers. > > Analysts note that this is the first time since the end of the 1950-1953 > Korean War that a Canadian military contingent has taken part in such a > large-scale military operation. At present, there are 900 Canadian soldiers > in Afghanistan. > > > > > > ------ End of Forwarded Message > --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
