Washington denies plans for attacking countries other than Afghanistan
Regional-USA, Politics, 11/7/2001

USA Secretary of State Colin Powell said there are no plans for expanding military campaign against Afghanistan to include other countries.

He said there is no direct link between Iraq and September 11 incidents. Powell said the military campaign against Afghanistan would continue in winter and in Ramadan.

In an interview with the Egyptian TV yesterday, he said the decision on involving ground troops in operations has not yet been taken.

As far as operations are concerned, US aircraft launched intensive raids against Taliban front positions northeastern Afghanistan.

In the meantime, US military officials spoke about the use of seven-ton bombs for pounding positions of the afghan movement.

Reuters and the AFP reported that US aircraft have bombed Taliban positions yesterday morning behind frontlines with northern opposition alliance.

Press reports quoted US officials as saying that US aircraft C-130 dropped bombs weighting 15,000 pounds on Taliban positions.

These bombs are described as the heaviest conventional munitions in the world.

Making an assessment of the campaign success, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the united states has increased the number of its ground troops deployed in Afghanistan doubling the number deployed at the beginning of the campaign.

He said US special forces were now concentrated inside afghan territories, saying Washington was prepared to double the number of around troops four times.

In a press conference late Tuesday, Rumsfeld declined to give numbers of the troops and refused to confirm reports that the anti-taliban northern alliance had scored some gains in current battles on Mazar-e-Sherif, north of Afghanistan.

Rumsfeld did not elaborate on his tour in central Asia the needed support that would give the US a chance to come closer to achieving its goals.

'The US air forces have accomplished 1oo air strikes on targets north of Kabul and near mazar-e-sherif Monday,' said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Rumsfeld said the US -led military campaign in Afghanistan as progressing satisfactorily.

He added that his Asian tour proved the existence of unanimity, even on the part of former soviet states, on basic principles of the need to combat terrorism despite many disagreements.

The US has already received help from many world countries in the fight against terrorism, said the defence secretary.

He reiterated his country s determination to uproot terrorists.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Azhar Grand Imam statements in US Congress   (11/6/2001)
  US lauds Egyptian, Arab League responses to Bin Laden's statement   (11/6/2001)
  Arabs do not hate US but have reservations on its stances   (11/5/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search