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First clashes involving special forces reported

Unconfirmed reports of covert operations inside Afghanistan have begun to filter out.

U.S. officials did confirm that two U.S.C-130 aircraft arrived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Sept. 22 with some 100 troops. The troops were to set up a forward intelligence-gathering post to support future operations in Afghanistan.

An Israeli account stated that U.S. Special Forces troops crossed over into Afghanistan from the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan last week and have had at least one combat engagement with unidentified Afghanis. The report said that the U.S. forces were led over the rough terrain with the help of Russian intelligence officers and guides who are Tajik and Pushtun smugglers familiar with the region. A second encounter was said to involve British Special Air Services (SAS) commandos who entered Afghanistan from the north and engaged in fighting against Afghanis and members of Bin Laden’s organization.

Meanwhile, Islamic radicals in Pakistan are heading for Afghanistan to fight on the side of the Taleban militia in anticipation of U.S. military attacks.

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-- Robert Riggs (rxr.999@worldnet.att.net), September 28, 2001