Seoulstriker
03-12-2004, 04:58 PM
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,114102,00.html
U.S. Launches New Afghanistan Operation
Friday, March 12, 2004
WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has launched a new offensive in Afghanistan (search) called "Operation Mountain Storm" aimed at rooting out elements of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, Pentagon officials said Friday.
Though Mountain Storm is a new operation, it is also a continuation of a series of efforts that began last summer and fall. Those operations, including one called Mountain Resolve, aimed to drive terrorist elements out of the south of Afghanistan and some areas of the north, and back toward the border with Pakistan (search).
U.S. military officials have called the strategic technique "hammer and anvil."
Now, U.S. and other coalition forces — including elements of the Afghan National Army (search) — will be working the Afghan side of the border in pursuit of Taliban and Al Qaeda remnants holed up in the mountains. Military officials said the specific intent was to locate and neutralize any "high value" targets to be found there.
Military officials said no new U.S. forces will be committed to Mountain Storm. Of the 11,000 U.S. troops now in Afghanistan, it is not clear how many will participate in the sweep through the border region.
Fox News' Bret Baier contributed to this report.
U.S. Launches New Afghanistan Operation
Friday, March 12, 2004
WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has launched a new offensive in Afghanistan (search) called "Operation Mountain Storm" aimed at rooting out elements of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, Pentagon officials said Friday.
Though Mountain Storm is a new operation, it is also a continuation of a series of efforts that began last summer and fall. Those operations, including one called Mountain Resolve, aimed to drive terrorist elements out of the south of Afghanistan and some areas of the north, and back toward the border with Pakistan (search).
U.S. military officials have called the strategic technique "hammer and anvil."
Now, U.S. and other coalition forces — including elements of the Afghan National Army (search) — will be working the Afghan side of the border in pursuit of Taliban and Al Qaeda remnants holed up in the mountains. Military officials said the specific intent was to locate and neutralize any "high value" targets to be found there.
Military officials said no new U.S. forces will be committed to Mountain Storm. Of the 11,000 U.S. troops now in Afghanistan, it is not clear how many will participate in the sweep through the border region.
Fox News' Bret Baier contributed to this report.