A heavy strike on Kandahar has led to speculation from witnesses on the ground that US helicopters and ground forces may have been involved.
The Pentagon has responded that an AC-130 “Spectre” gunship was in use in the area, and the staccato pounding of its large cannons may have caused the reports of helicopters. The AC-130 was last used to destroy the house of a Somali warlord in 1993. It would be used against troop concentrations, fortified positions, or for the detailed destruction of buildings believed to house individuals the military was attempting to kill.
According to CNN, their sources in Khandahar reported hearing gunfire from small arms and automatic weapons on the ground.
Under current policy guidelines, the Pentagon would not release information about special operations that might well involve helicopters and small numbers of forces on the ground.
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