World News 22-10-2001 Blair: We`re Going In who: Tony Blair what: To confirm that British troops will join land assault in Afghanistan where: LONDON when: Today snippet: "British soldiers are likely to join intensive ground attacks in Afghanistan," reports The Mirror`s Oonagh Blackman. "The squaddie units of highly-trained infantrymen could soon link up with the SAS and US forces to launch an invasion aimed at key Taliban and al-Qaeda strongholds." Mr Blair`s official spokesman "effectively confirmed that British special forces are already active inside Afghanistan," says The Financial Times. "Asked what ground troops were already in action the spokesman replied: `We don`t talk about special forces`." British troops are expected to be on the ground before the end of the week. Armed forces minister Adam Ingram indicated yesterday that ground attacks would have to be swift to avoid the risk of "an extended campaign if we don`t achieve our objectives initially," reports The Guardian. Meanwhile, elsewhere in The Guardian, Richard Norton-Taylor reports on pre-dawn assaults by US special forces in Kandahar yesterday, which "marked the beginning of a critical and highly risky phase of the military campaign". And The Mirror says that the allied bombardment of the Taliban frontline last night "paved the way for the Northern Alliance to advance towards Kabul" and was designed to destroy units gathered "in a do-or-die mission to confront the Alliance". [... more]

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