US to end massive Afghan offensive ‘in next 12 hours’

The US general in command of allied forces in Afghanistan said today Operation Anaconda - the biggest American-led offensive in the Afghan war - would be completed in the next 12 hours.

General Tommy Franks, the head of the US military’s Central Command, made the announcement at Bagram air base while awarding the Bronze Star to four US servicemen who served in the operation.

‘‘This is about you, this is about Operation Anaconda, which within 12 hours will be completed because you did it, you did it on time, you did it with a good plan, you did it with violent execution, you did it taking care of one another,’’ Franks told the servicemen.

The most intense combat in Operation Anaconda ended more than a week ago.

But about 500 Canadian and US infantrymen, together with US-allied Afghan fighters, have been searching the cave complexes for the past several days.