US President Mr George W. Bush has warned that the US campaign in Afghanistan is not over.
"I feel like we've got a lot more fighting to do in Afghanistan," Mr Bush said last night. His comment came as US commanders declared the 17-day "Operation Anaconda" in eastern Afghanistan over.
Mr Bush said he knew "for a fact" that rebel forces had sought to reinforce their comrades at the height of the fighting.
"They were willing to reinforce in the midst of the Shahi Kot Mountain range, where they were getting wiped out," Mr Bush said. "These are killers. They hate America. . . . They are relentless.
"But so are we, and we will be more relentless than they are," Mr Bush said.
The United States deployed B-52 bombers, helicopters, and about 1,500 soldiers against al-Qaeda rebels hidden in caves and bunkers in the mountains.