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Breaking News

Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

Aired December 05, 2001 - 06:34   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY: CNN has some breaking news now concerning the U.S. war on terrorism going on inside Afghanistan. We're going to take you now live to the Pentagon and talk with CNN's Bob Franken. Bob, what do you have?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Catherine, defense officials tells CNN that there has been a major war tragedy going in -- north of Kandahar right now. According to defense officials, both from the central command and the Pentagon, two U.S. soldiers, probably special operations troop and 20 have been killed in a bombing run by a B-52 bomber north of Kandahar.

Twenty other U.S. soldiers have been wounded. An unknown number of opposition forces, allies of the U.S. who are fighting with the special forces troops, were also killed. It happened about 12:30 a.m. Eastern Time. It was a B-52 bombing run which caused these deaths. Two U.S. soldiers killed, 20 others wounded, U.S. soldiers, an unknown number of opposition forces, those fighting with the United States, also killed. Medevac helicopters have been removing those who are injured to hospitals. This happened north of Kandahar. It was in an operation where they have not yet given out details about exactly what the operation was. One source said he thought it was close air support -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Bob, do you know where the injuries -- where those that are injured are being taken?

FRANKEN: They do not have any details about that yet. But again it is north of Kandahar, so it would be possibly that they would be taken to Pakistan from there. But again these are details that are not yet available. It happened at 12:30 a.m. I do want to repeat two U.S. soldiers killed, 20 others wounded -- U.S. soldiers and an unknown number of opposition forces.

CALLAWAY: And there has been intense fighting around that Kandahar area. We should tell everyone then of course that is in the southern part of Afghanistan. A lot of fighting going on that stronghold there in Kandahar.

FRANKEN: And it's been accompanied -- it's been accompanied of course by intense bombing by United States planes of every type including B-52 bombs and of course, U.S. forces particularly special operation forces have been accompanying -- we've known that for some time -- accompanying the opposition troops who have been leading this battle for Kandahar. Today it turned into tragedy.

CALLAWAY: All right. Thank you. CNN's Bob Franken at the Pentagon just repeating of what we're hearing Pentagon sources telling us, that a B-52 apparently missed its target near Kandahar in southern Afghanistan and that two U.S. special forces soldiers were apparently killed on the ground and about 20 others injured.

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