Sweeping new US operation

2004-03-13 09:51

Kabul, Afghanistan - The US military on Saturday announced a sweeping new operation across troubled southern and eastern Afghanistan, with the aim of destroying al-Qaida and Taliban infrastructure.

The announcement came as the Americans have been pressing their hunt for Osama bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, who are believed hiding out in the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The operation, however, was "about more than one person," said Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty, a US military spokesman. He said American forces have "confidence" they will eventually catch the al-Qaida leader, but not necessarily during the new operation.

Hilferty said US forces are involved at the moment in what he described as a "small scale air assault" in southern Afghanistan, but would not say where it was taking place or give details about the target.

The operation, dubbed "Mountain Storm" officially began Sunday and was open-ended, Hilferty said. He said the entire 13,500-strong US-led coalition was involved, though he gave no specifics about their role.

He said the operation was in effect a continuation of tactics already being used, such as intensive patrolling, village searches and impromptu checkpoints.

Lt. Gen. David Barno, the top American commander in Afghanistan, has said his men are engaged in a "hammer-and-anvil" strategy along with Pakistani forces on the other side of the border.

- AP