Forces continue hunt for al-Qaida

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Posted 9:50AM on Sunday, May 12, 2002

BAGRAM, AFGHANISTAN - Coalition forces scouring the mountains of southeastern Afghanistan for Taliban and al-Qaida fighters blew up dozens of rockets, mortar shells and boxes of ammunition discovered in the rocky terrain, a British military spokesman said. The latest weapons cache was discovered about 2 1/2 miles south of four caves in Paktia province that were packed with tens of thousands of ammunition and were destroyed by British military engineers with a massive controlled explosion Friday. Lt. Col. Ben Curry said the new find included 60 107 mm rockets, 100 82 mm mortar shells and 12 boxes of 12.7 mm heavy machine gun ammunition. ``This cache was destroyed this morning by the bomb disposal team,'' he told reporters at Bagram, the main base for the U.S.-led coalition. Another cave complex found by the mostly British force was empty, he said, but a few rocket-propelled grenades and some small-arms ammunition was found in a culvert under the main road linking two cities in the province, Khost and Gardez. Those munitions were also destroyed with a controlled blast, he said. The 3-week-old British-led mission, known as Operation Snipe, is part of Operation Mountain Lion, the U.S.-led search for Taliban and al-Qaida holdouts in eastern Afghanistan. The mission are backed by Afghan forces, U.S. special operations troops and U.S. air support. Also Sunday, the Afghan national airline resumed regular flights to Pakistan after a break of nearly 23 years. One of only two serviceable planes owned by Ariana, a Boeing 727, landed at Islamabad airport at 3:52 p.m., more than an hour late because of a delayed departure from Kabul, the Afghan capital. The 19-member delegation on board, including two interim ministers, were to meet with Pakistani Commerce Minister Abdul Razzaq Dawood and Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz to discuss trade and aid. ``Afghanistan wants to improve trade relations with Pakistan,'' said Afghan Trade Minister Mustafa Kazmi at a news conference at Islamabad airport. ``We need technical assistance for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.'' Initially, service will be limited to one flight a week.