The Associated Press
First Sgt. Jonathan Blossom, of the 2nd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, runs for cover during a fire fight Sunday near Sirkankel, Afghanistan. The position was being attacked by mortar fire, rocket propelled grenades and heavy machine gun fire. U.S. and coalition forces have been in the area since Saturday in the largest offensive yet against remaining Taliban and al-Qaida.

Photo courtesy Department of Defense
Troops are pictured in Afghanistan on Saturday in support of Operation Anaconda.

U.S., allies locked in bloody battle

Al-Qaida, Taliban forces put up strong resistance

KATHY GANNON THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

GARDEZ, Afghanistan -- Hundreds of Taliban and al-Qaida fighters were killed in fierce fighting Tuesday as U.S.-led coalition forces pressed their offensive in the rugged mountains of eastern Afghanistan, the U.S. commander said.

U.S. forces in the region said as many as 800 opposition fighters had been seen moving toward the battle since the American-led operation was launched Saturday.

"We caught several hundred of them with RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) and mortars heading toward the fight. We body-slammed them today and killed hundreds of those guys," said Maj. Gen. Frank L. Hagenbeck, the commander of the operation near Gardez, 75 miles south of Kabul, the capital.

U.S.-led forces continued inching up the snow-covered mountains, meanwhile, trying to reach hideouts still believed to contain hundreds more al-Qaida and Taliban fighters. Some forces entered at least one cave complex, uncovering weapons caches.

'They can't escape'

Front-line commander Abdul Matin Hasankhiel said hundreds of Afghan and coalition forces have ringed the mountain range and trapped the al-Qaida and Taliban fighters higher up.

"They can't escape. They're surrounded. Slowly, slowly we are pushing in," he said.

Hundreds of al-Qaida and Taliban fighters are believed to be holed up in the area, Brig. Gen. John Rosa told reporters at the Pentagon. Bombers and tactical aircraft have dropped more than 450 bombs on the area, he said.

"We've been able to get into at least one of the cave complexes thus far and we've discovered mortars, rocket-propelled grenade rounds, small arms. And in a different location we found more weapons and ammunition, as well as foreign driver's licenses and foreign passports," he said. He did not say whether there was resistance entering the cave complex.

One fighter, Nawab, who returned from a front-line position Tuesday, said about 50 U.S. Special Forces were fighting alongside Afghan soldiers at his position about 21/2 miles from Shah-e-Kot, the village that is the focus of the largest U.S.-led coalition air and ground operation in Afghanistan to date.

Mine sweepers were leading the way, clearing the paths along the snowy mountains. Attack jets circled overhead and pounded al-Qaida positions while Chinook helicopters ferried in supplies. A powerful fleet of aircraft -- including A-10s, F-15s, B-1s, B-52s, AC-130 gunships, and French Mirage 2000 and Super-Etendard aircraft -- was participating in the assault.

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