US troops land
near Kandahar: Iranian radio
http://www.timesofindia.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=748993062
TEHRAN: US infantry landed from helicopters on Wednesday near
Kandahar in southwest Afghanistan, stronghold of Taliban
leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and suspected terrorist
mastermind Osama Bin Laden, Iranian state radio said.
"Informed sources report that US helicopters from the
Pakistani-Afghan border have entered Afghan territory and
deployed troops around Kandahar", a radio correspondent
said. "It's the second part of the American operation on
Afghan soil, which started this morning," it added.
The radio did not give an exact number of US troops to have
disembarked or of helicopters used in the operation.
Iranian television later cited witnesses saying there were
"exchanges of fire between Taliban forces and American
soldiers near Kandahar."
However, neither Washington nor London would comment on any
of the information, and the reports could not be
independently confirmed.
Earlier on Wednesday, Britain's Tony Blair had hinted at an
imminent use of ground troops in Afghanistan and ruled out a
pause in military strikes.
He also said the US-dominated coalition was now giving more
active help to the opposition Northern Aliance forces
fighting the Taliban.
Blair said the bombing campaign had inflicted "heavy damage"
on the ruling Taliban's command and control centres, air
defences, radars, missile sites and aircraft, and to bin
Laden's al-Qaeda.
He told parliament that "we are in a process of establishing
the ability to take more, further military action against
the Taliban regime and the al-Qaeda network."
It was interpreted as a hint of ground troops - most likely
special forces - who are already reported to be in and
around Afghanistan. Defence officials never comment publicly
on the use of elite units such as the SAS for operational
reasons.
The Prime Minister said the coalition was now "additionally
giving further help" to the Northern Alliance, which was
"taking territory from the Taliban" and was close to Kabul.
Blair, who is one of Washington's staunchest allies, said
that if bin Laden was not stopped, he would commit further
atrocities.
He said there was "no option" but to continue with the
action, "to bring it to a successful conclusion, and to
close down that terrorist network once and for all."
Later, Blair's official spokesman fended off questions about
his hint of a new phase in the operation.
He said military planners always kept "other options" under
review, and "we can go down some of those routes if it is
thought to be appropriate."
Bin Laden and al-Qaeda, based in Afghanistan, are accused of
arranging and carrying out the September 11 suicide plane
attacks in New York and Washington which killed more than
5,000 people.
Although the United States is providing the bulk of the
firepower designed to smoke out bin Laden, London has lent
political and military backing.
The prime minister said he had just spoken to US President
George W. Bush, who agreed that the action should continue.
Earlier Wednesday, a group of six international aid agencies
urged a pause in air strikes to allow food supplies to be
delivered before the severe Afghan winter begins to bite
early next month.
The call came as the US-led strikes hit Kabul, Kandahar and
Jalalabad and, for the first time, Taliban frontline
positions.
"It is evident now that we cannot, in reasonable safety, get
food to hungry people," Oxfam director Barbara Stocking
said.
Oxfam International joined Britain's Islamic Relief,
Christian Aid, CAFOD, Tear Fund and Action Aid in the
appeal.
According to UN estimates, 50,000 tonnes of food must get
into Afghanistan in the next month to stop tens of thousands
of people starving through winter. Only 10,000 tonnes have
made it in the last month.
Half a million aid-dependent people will be cut off from
supplies over the next four weeks, the aid groups warned.
Blair sympathised, but said it was the Taliban's fault.
He said that in border areas around Afghanistan, there was
enough provision for food, camps and shelter for about 2.5
million people.
"Inside Afghanistan is the problem. It is they that are the
obstacle."
He said the Taliban was harassing and intimidating UN
convoys, taxing food, stealing their equipment and
communications and preventing aid getting through to those
who needed it.
He went on: "We cannot have the Taliban regime remain in
power able to use this humanitarian crisis as a reason for
warding off the action we take." ( AFP )
http://www.timesofindia.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=748993062
TEHRAN: US infantry landed from helicopters on Wednesday near
Kandahar in southwest Afghanistan, stronghold of Taliban
leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and suspected terrorist
mastermind Osama Bin Laden, Iranian state radio said.
"Informed sources report that US helicopters from the
Pakistani-Afghan border have entered Afghan territory and
deployed troops around Kandahar", a radio correspondent
said. "It's the second part of the American operation on
Afghan soil, which started this morning," it added.
The radio did not give an exact number of US troops to have
disembarked or of helicopters used in the operation.
Iranian television later cited witnesses saying there were
"exchanges of fire between Taliban forces and American
soldiers near Kandahar."
However, neither Washington nor London would comment on any
of the information, and the reports could not be
independently confirmed.
Earlier on Wednesday, Britain's Tony Blair had hinted at an
imminent use of ground troops in Afghanistan and ruled out a
pause in military strikes.
He also said the US-dominated coalition was now giving more
active help to the opposition Northern Aliance forces
fighting the Taliban.
Blair said the bombing campaign had inflicted "heavy damage"
on the ruling Taliban's command and control centres, air
defences, radars, missile sites and aircraft, and to bin
Laden's al-Qaeda.
He told parliament that "we are in a process of establishing
the ability to take more, further military action against
the Taliban regime and the al-Qaeda network."
It was interpreted as a hint of ground troops - most likely
special forces - who are already reported to be in and
around Afghanistan. Defence officials never comment publicly
on the use of elite units such as the SAS for operational
reasons.
The Prime Minister said the coalition was now "additionally
giving further help" to the Northern Alliance, which was
"taking territory from the Taliban" and was close to Kabul.
Blair, who is one of Washington's staunchest allies, said
that if bin Laden was not stopped, he would commit further
atrocities.
He said there was "no option" but to continue with the
action, "to bring it to a successful conclusion, and to
close down that terrorist network once and for all."
Later, Blair's official spokesman fended off questions about
his hint of a new phase in the operation.
He said military planners always kept "other options" under
review, and "we can go down some of those routes if it is
thought to be appropriate."
Bin Laden and al-Qaeda, based in Afghanistan, are accused of
arranging and carrying out the September 11 suicide plane
attacks in New York and Washington which killed more than
5,000 people.
Although the United States is providing the bulk of the
firepower designed to smoke out bin Laden, London has lent
political and military backing.
The prime minister said he had just spoken to US President
George W. Bush, who agreed that the action should continue.
Earlier Wednesday, a group of six international aid agencies
urged a pause in air strikes to allow food supplies to be
delivered before the severe Afghan winter begins to bite
early next month.
The call came as the US-led strikes hit Kabul, Kandahar and
Jalalabad and, for the first time, Taliban frontline
positions.
"It is evident now that we cannot, in reasonable safety, get
food to hungry people," Oxfam director Barbara Stocking
said.
Oxfam International joined Britain's Islamic Relief,
Christian Aid, CAFOD, Tear Fund and Action Aid in the
appeal.
According to UN estimates, 50,000 tonnes of food must get
into Afghanistan in the next month to stop tens of thousands
of people starving through winter. Only 10,000 tonnes have
made it in the last month.
Half a million aid-dependent people will be cut off from
supplies over the next four weeks, the aid groups warned.
Blair sympathised, but said it was the Taliban's fault.
He said that in border areas around Afghanistan, there was
enough provision for food, camps and shelter for about 2.5
million people.
"Inside Afghanistan is the problem. It is they that are the
obstacle."
He said the Taliban was harassing and intimidating UN
convoys, taxing food, stealing their equipment and
communications and preventing aid getting through to those
who needed it.
He went on: "We cannot have the Taliban regime remain in
power able to use this humanitarian crisis as a reason for
warding off the action we take." ( AFP )
THE END
==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrHhl.bVKZIr Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
