Kabul: An Afghan official says NATO and
Afghan troops killed 17 insurgents in an hours-long gun-battle
in southern Helmand province.
Provincial government spokesman Daud Ahmadi said today
that the fighting lasted 12 hours and took place in the Dishu
district.
NATO and Afghan troops began pushing into the
insurgency`s stronghold in the south in July. The have
established some pockets of security, but attacks have
increased in other areas of the country.
In a separate incident, NATO said yesterday that an
air-strike killed a Taliban leader in southern Zabul province
as he was showing his fighters a new anti-aircraft heavy
machine gun mounted on the back of his vehicle. The coalition
says Thursday`s air-strike also killed one of his fighters.
PTI