Possible use of helicopters assault reported in Kandahar

Airstrikes continue; Powell arrives in Pakistan

October 15, 2001 Posted: 6:28 p.m. EDT (2228 GMT)

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CNN) -- CNN sources in the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar reported intense air activity Monday night and early Tuesday morning, including the possible use of helicopters.

The sources reported they heard what they believed to be helicopters, gunfire coming from overhead and return gunfire coming from the ground.

The attack, which appeared to be different from previous airstrikes, started around 11:30 p.m. (3 p.m. EDT) and lasted about 20 minutes, the sources said.

In Washington, Pentagon officials refused to confirm or deny that helicopters were involved in military action in Kandahar. Pentagon sources told CNN that plans for Monday's airstrikes did not include U.S. helicopters.

Pentagon officials, however, have said repeatedly there could be "invisible" missions that would not be announced or even acknowledged after the fact.

Such missions by special operations forces could include clandestine helicopter raids that would not be in the daily bombing orders, the officials said.

The attack on Kandahar followed a day of aerial pounding from U.S. warplanes, which also targeted the capital city of Kabul and the eastern city of Jalalabad.

Witnesses said the attacks appeared to be one of the heaviest daytime raids since the U.S.-led bombing campaign in Afghanistan began last week.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

Answers

CNN says its military sources are saying privately they have not launched any helo attacks. Hmm. Guess we'll find out eventually.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

CNN reporting it was not a helo assault, it was a C-130 gunship, a specially modified C-130.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

Pentagon: Cannon-firing airplane used over Kandahar

October 15, 2001 Posted: 9:20 p.m. EDT (0120 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- What people in Kandahar thought was a helicopter assault late Monday in Afghanistan was a punishing attack from an AC-130 "Spectre" gunship, a senior Pentagon source said Monday.

The specially modified C-130 airplane is based at the U.S. Air Force's special operations base at Hurlburt Field, Florida, the source said Monday night. Depending on the model used in the attack, the AC-130 had either a 40mm cannon or 105mm cannon. Others are equipped with a 25mm gun.

Sources in Kandahar also reported hearing return gunfire from the ground late Monday. They said they heard firing from small arms and automatic weapons.

The attack started around 11:30 p.m. (3 p.m. EDT) and lasted about 20 minutes, said sources. They characterized the noise above as sounding like helicopters.

When queried about helicopter attacks, Pentagon officials said none had been planned for that day.

Officials have said repeatedly, however, that there could be "invisible" missions that would not be announced or even acknowledged after the fact.

Such missions by special operations forces could include clandestine helicopter raids that would not be in the daily bombing orders, the officials said.

The AC-130 is a fixed-wing aircraft first used in Vietnam for close air support of ground troops.

It was last used in 1993 when an AC-130 leveled the house of Mohammed Farah Aidid during a manhunt for the Somali faction leader.

The gunship's attack on Kandahar followed a day of aerial pounding from U.S. warplanes, which also targeted the capital city of Kabul and the eastern city of Jalalabad.

Witnesses said the attacks appeared to be one of the heaviest daytime raids since the U.S.-led bombing campaign in Afghanistan began last week.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001