April 17, 2002	Wednesday	Safar 3, 142

BAGRAM AIR BASE, April 16: British Royal Marine commandos have been deployed in force in the rugged, snow-covered Afghan mountains for the first time, joining US and Afghan forces in a new hunt for Taliban-Al Qaeda fighters.

In the first major operation by the multinational force since a big ground battle last month, the commandos were dropped by helicopters in areas of eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border.

British Lieutenant Colonel Paul Harradine told reporters on Tuesday the commandos were deployed several days ago in a sweep codenamed “Operation Ptarmigan”, named after a mountain bird.

“They are up in the mountains at about 9,500 feet to 10,000 feet (3,000 metres). The terrain and environmental conditions up there should not be underestimated,” he said.

“They are above the snow line, some of them. It is very rugged, very windy, snowing at night. Temperatures are below freezing and very rough underfoot.”

Harradine said several hundred commandos were in the field, but would not confirm if they had engaged in direct combat.

“By the end of this month the full operational capability will be reached,” he added.

“They’re going to sweep through, destroy any al Qaida and Taliban that are there and then deny the group control of that area.”

They would also search for and destroy ammunition, caves and any other places that could be used as future Al Qaeda or Taliban bases, he said at Bagram, an air base just north of Kabul which US-led forces are using as their main staging post.—Reuters