Donald Rumsfeld

Friday, U.S. and Canadian soldiers also reported encountering four enemy fighters who got away after a brief gunbattle. 

Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says it is still not known how many al-Qaida and Taleban fighters were killed in the U.S.-led operation in the Shah-e-Kot mountains. Only a handful of bodies have been found.

 Mr. Rumsfeld told a briefing in Washington there is no quick way for the U.S.-led forces to know how many fighters fled or died in the caves. Some of the caves, he said, are still inaccessible because of landmines and other booby traps. He also noted that traditionally Afghans bury their dead immediately, making an accurate body count impossible. 

Mr. Rumsfeld says a main objective now is to keep al-Qaida and former Taleban fighters from regrouping, either in Afghanistan or in neighboring countries.
 
 

Some information for this report provided by AP, Reuters and AFP.

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