News U.S.-led coalition appears to gain upper hand in combat in eastern Afghanistan

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U.S. forces and their Afghan allies engaged al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters in fierce combat in the hills and mountains of eastern Afghanistan on March 6

About half of the Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters have been killed since the offensive in the Shahi Kot mountain range started March 2, U.S. Maj. Gen. Frank L. Hagenbeck said at a news briefing in Bagram, Afghanistan, on March 6.

Hagenbeck said the United States had gained the upper hand in the battle in which eight U.S. troops to date have been killed

U.S.-allied Afghan leaders also confirmed that the American-led coalition had gained the upper hand and said that they consider the battle all but won.

"Absolutely, they are defeated," said Taj Mohammad Wardak, the governor of Paktia province. "It will be finished in a week or so."

But in Washington, U.S. Gen. Tommy Franks, who is in charge of the U.S. campaign, described the remaining al-Qaeda and Taliban as "capable and dedicated fighters." Franks said an additional 200 to 300 U.S. troops have joined the 800 Americans already fighting in Paktia province

7 Hagenbeck provided new details of the deaths of seven of the Americans. Six U.S. soldiers were killed in a firefight with al-Qaeda fighters March 4 after they attempted to rescue a soldier who fell from a U.S. helicopter. The soldier who fell from the helicopter is thought to have been shot.

アフガニスタン東部での戦闘で混成部隊が優勢

アフガニスタン東部パクティア州で2日から始まったテロ組織アルカイダの掃討作戦に関連し、米軍幹部は6日、これまでの戦闘で、残党の約半数のアルカイダ兵が死亡し、米国主導の混成部隊は優勢であると語った。

Shukan ST: March 15, 2002

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