KABUL (Islamweb & News Agencies) - Under blistering U.S. attack from the skies, the ruling Taliban said on Saturday it had made gains on the ground by repulsing the first American commando raid near their southern stronghold of Kandahar.The first ground clash erupted when several U.S. helicopters landed on Baba Sahib mountain, west of Kandahar, at around midnight, Taliban Education Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told Reuters.(Read photo caption below)
``Simultaneously, the Taliban approached there and forced them to flee back by firing at them,'' he said.
The claims and counterclaims could not be independently verified.
The raid by elite U.S. Army Rangers came nearly two weeks after Washington began a ferocious air blitz on Afghanistan, dropping hundreds of tonnes of bombs and missiles in pursuit of Osama bin Laden, accused of masterminding the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
U.S. officials said more than 100 troops took part in the raid -- penetrating Afghan territory for a few hours -- but the Defense Department refused to give further details.
The Pentagon said two service personnel had been killed when a helicopter supporting the commando raid crashed, but said it was an accident and happened in Pakistan.
Muttaqi, however, said the helicopter might have crashed after being crippled by Taliban fire. ``We don't rule out the possibility of shooting it down,'' he said.
A Pakistani official at Dalbandin airport, around 37 miles from the Afghan border and currently being used by U.S. forces to provide logistical support for the Afghan operation, said the helicopter had crashed in the area, but gave no further details.
PHOTO CAPTION:
In this handout picture from the U.S. Navy made available Friday, Oct. 19, 2001, U.S. Navy Seals train with a SH-60F Seahawk helicopter assigned to the Tridents of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Three on the flight deck of the USS Enterprise on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001 at an undisclosed location at sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy, Lance H. Mayhew Jr.)
- Oct 19 6:58 PM ET