Taliban outnumbered around key Afghan town: NATO

Brussels: NATO`s top commander for southern
Afghanistan says the coalition troops will clear the area
around the key southern city of Kandahar by December.

British Maj Gen Nick Carter says that 15,000 to 17,000
Afghan security forces and 15,000 international troops have
numerical superiority over an estimated 1000 insurgents in and
around the city.

The current US-led operation to beef up security in
Kandahar, is one of the biggest the alliance has launched in
the 9-year war.

Carter said most of the coalition effort were aimed at
clearing the Taliban from Kandahar province`s districts of
Zhari and Panjwai and along Afghanistan main southern highway
that cuts through them.

PTI