September 4, 2003	Thursday	Rajab 6, 1424

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WASHINGTON, Sept 3: US Special Forces and aircraft are engaged in a major offensive in Afghanistan in a bid to kill or capture senior Taliban leaders, reports say here on Wednesday.

Quoting US defence officials, reports said American military officers in Afghanistan are “certain Taliban leaders Mullah Omar and Mullah Qahar are both surrounded in the southeastern village of Sarsang with about 1,000 Taliban fighters.”

The Special Forces have joined a major operation against suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda bases in mountains of Daychopan district of Zabul province, 180 miles southwest of Kabul.

At least one US soldier died Monday when his parachute failed to open.

One Afghan field commander, Sayf Allah, said Taliban fighters had unexpectedly mounted an attack behind US and Afghan army lines, killing at least eight Afghan soldiers and slightly wounding General Sayf Allah himself.

Sayf Allah confirmed that no Taliban had been captured alive so far, adding that they had suffered casualties.