AFGHANISTAN: FATAL ACCIDENT KILLS FOUR U.S. SOLDIERS, WOUNDS ONE

Four American soldiers were killed early April 15 near Kandahar, according to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Tampa, Florida.

At an April 15 Pentagon briefing, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld described the incident as an accidental explosion, which occurred when an ordnance disposal team was trying to destroy some weapons. CENTCOM described the munitions as 107-millimeter mortar rounds. In addition, one soldier was wounded in the explosion, Rumsfeld said.

AFGHANISTAN: APRIL 13 FIREFIGHT BETWEEN U.S., ENEMY FORCES

A firefight between U.S. and enemy forces occurred in eastern Afghanistan April 13, according to General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who also spoke at the briefing.

A combined reconnaissance team of U.S. Special Forces and Afghan military investigated a "suspected enemy complex," Myers said. During the operation, the reconnaissance team convoy was fired on. An AC-130 gunship was called in to support the convoy and the aircraft found and fired on the enemy position, killing several, Myers said. The reconnaissance team located several weapons storage sites in which they found mines, rockets, explosives and antiaircraft artillery that seem to have been used for training, Myers said.

Two separate incidents of suspected rocket-propelled grenade fire occurred near Khost over the April 13-14 period, Myers said. On April 13, the shells impacted near an airfield, but no damage or injuries resulted, Myers said. On the 14th, the shells exploded perhaps two kilometers from the airfield, so it's not clear whether friendly forces were even targeted, Myers said.

IRAQ: NO-FLY-ZONE INCIDENT APRIL 15

Myers said an incident occurred April 15 in the continuing air patrols over Iraq, called Operation Northern and Southern Watch. Two F-16 jets were illuminated by ground targeting radar while on patrol, and the pilots responded by dropping laser-guided bombs onto the radar site, he said. A Pentagon spokesman later said the incident occurred in the Operation Southern Watch zone.