51.   Another senior defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said covert ground operations meant to be kept secret even after they are over were under way Saturday.

52.   Britain is considering its role in ground operations in Afghanistan, said Blair, who warned military casualties were inevitable.

53.   Bulgaria will insist on guarantees that it would not be involved in any ground troop operations against Yugoslavia, Kostov said.

54.   Bulgaria is ready to join a possible NATO ground operation in Kosovo with non-combat army units, the government said Thursday.

55.   Bulgaria will insist on guarantees that it would not be involved in a possible ground troop operations against Yugoslavia, Kostov said.

56.   But the Interfax news agency today quoted an unidentified Defense Ministry source as saying preparations for a ground operation have entered their final stage.

57.   By the end of Ramadan, the harsh Afghan winter will have set in, closing key passes through the mountains and limiting air and ground operations.

58.   David Rebholz, who is now in charge of domestic ground operations, will be executive vice president of operations and systems support.

59.   For ground operations, however, troops do.

60.   For his part, Jospin said that a ground operation would be risky and was not on the current agenda of the NATO allies.