July 8, 2003	Tuesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 7,1424

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BAGRAM AIR BASE, July 7: Some 1,300 US-led coalition troops are engaged in a major operation against Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters in southeast Afghanistan, a US military spokesman said on Monday.

Some 800 US soldiers backed by more than 500 Italian paratroops on Wednesday launched the ongoing Operation Haven Denial in Khost and Paktika provinces, Colonel Rodney Davis told reporters at Bagram Air Base 50 kilometres north of Kabul.

The operation is believed to be the biggest launched by the US-led coalition since the massive Operation Anaconda offensive against Taliban and Al Qaeda holdouts in the mountains of Paktia province in March 2002.

“Italian participation included more than 500 Italian soldiers from the 187th Parachutist Regiment, with specialized units in explosive ordnance and improvised explosive devices, dangerous material control, Special Operations Forces and medical teams,” Davis said.

Italian “Task Force Nibbio conducted a ground assault convoy and established blocking positions in the Italian area of responsibility, to control the Afghanistan border in Khost province to prevent anti-coalition movement in Afghanistan,” he said, referring to Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters and extremists of former premier Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.—AFP