Kabul, Nov 01: Some 40 people were killed when Afghan police and a former military commander and his fighters fought a fierce battle in southwestern Helmand province, the state-run news agency reported today.
The clash erupted yesterday afternoon in Gereshek district when police stopped a convoy of vehicles belonging to ex-military commander Haji Idrees for a routine check and the commander resisted. The news agency said Idrees and his deputy were among those killed in the fighting, as well as three women and 12 other civilians caught in the crossfire. Earlier, a Pakistan-based news agency reported that the fighting involved two pro- government militia groups and put the death toll at 25. Bureau Report