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. Tuesday, 12 March, 2002


Afghan Fighters Join US Forces at Battlefront

VOA News
11 Mar 2002
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Up to 1,000 Afghan fighters join US forces in eastern Afghanistan to help clear out the remnants of terrorist fighters 

As many as 1,000 Afghan fighters are moving to the front lines in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan as coalition forces target the remnants of a terrorist fighting force. 

Afghan interim leader Hamid Karzai ordered the soldiers to the Shah-e-Kot mountains Monday. They will help about 800 U.S. troops clear out, what commanders call, small pockets of the enemy hiding in caves and bunkers. 

As many as 200 al-Qaida and Taleban fighters are believed to be in the mountains. 

Ground forces are getting strong support from the air. Allied fighter jets are dropping bombs and firing missiles at the hideouts. Afghan militia leaders call the airstrikes relentless and devastating. 

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters at the Pentagon Monday he hopes, what he calls, the mopping-up process will be over by the end of the week. 

Hundreds of al-Qaida and Taleban terrorists have been killed since the campaign called "Operation Anaconda" began 11 days ago. 

U.S. military officials say the operation will continue until each enemy fighter is captured or killed. 

Some information for this report provided by AP.

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