KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The Pentagon tells CNN that U.S. Marines stationed in Afghanistan will not join in the search for Osama bin Laden in the mountains of Tora Bora. Right now, the Marines are moving their operations to the airport near Kandahar. CNN's Bill Hemmer is with them.</s>BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Another sign the U.S. Marine operation continues to go forward. The initial camp set up 80 miles out side of Kandahar, known as Camp Rhino, will soon be shut down, possible in a matter of types. Many felt the camp was an initial staging point, and a good one at the time, but since progress has been made at the Kandahar airport, and progress made on a daily basis, the Marines are saying now that Camp Rhino is no longer necessary. However, it did fit its purpose, to make sure the U.S. military had a strong footing in the southern part of Afghanistan. Also here at the airport, 17 detainees are continued to be watched on a 24-hour basis. However, just today, a second warehouse was opened. The Marines say they can handle hundreds more immediately if indeed, more detainees come here. Suspected al Qaeda prisoners are being held. So too are Taliban leaders -- again, being watched on a 24-hour basis. The other thing that continues here us the constant explosions of ammunition collected around the airport here. We are told you can search the airport every day for a year until you find all the munitions -- the land mines, the surface-to-air missiles -- and still the operation would continue. Just last year, a recent report indicated, more than 1,100 Afghans were either killed or injured by unexploded ordinants. It continues to be a very dangerous country, but thus far the U.S. Marines have been able to make this airstrip a bit safer by the day. With the U.S. Marines, Bill Hemmer, CNN, Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Marines Will Not Join Search for Osama bin Laden