More than 30 Taliban killed in southern Afghan fighting

KANDAHAR – Afghan and US-led coalition forces killed more than 30 Taliban in separate clashes in southern Helmand province, in a multinational offensive to crush the militants’ hold on the region, an Afghan official said yesterday.

At least 27 militants were killed in the Sangin district village of Mirmundaze late Saturday, including local Taliban commander Baha Uddin, said provincial police chief Ghulan Nabi Malakhail. Another 18 Taliban were wounded and 10 Taliban arrested, he said.Mirmundaze is about 25 kilometres north of Sangin city, which hundreds of coalition forces had stormed earlier Saturday and reclaimed from Taliban forces.At least 10 militants were killed in that raid.Another eight Taliban fighters were killed in nearby Khayar Kariz district on Saturday after Afghan and coalition forces surrounded a militant hideout, Malakhail said.Four wounded Taliban militants were arrested.Violence across southern Afghanistan has killed about 800 people, mostly militants, since May, according to an Associated Press tally of coalition and Afghan figures.The bloodshed marks the deadliest period since US-led forces toppled the Taliban regime in late 2001.Thousands of US, British, Canadian and Afghan forces are taking part in Operation Mountain Thrust, a large-scale anti-Taliban offensive across southern Afghanistan.The US military also said it would cooperate in an Afghan government probe into reports that a coalition air raid killed civilians on Monday in southern Uruzgan province.The US military said it killed 40 extremists, but wounded residents said at least four civilians died.- Nampa-APAnother 18 Taliban were wounded and 10 Taliban arrested, he said.Mirmundaze is about 25 kilometres north of Sangin city, which hundreds of coalition forces had stormed earlier Saturday and reclaimed from Taliban forces.At least 10 militants were killed in that raid.Another eight Taliban fighters were killed in nearby Khayar Kariz district on Saturday after Afghan and coalition forces surrounded a militant hideout, Malakhail said.Four wounded Taliban militants were arrested.Violence across southern Afghanistan has killed about 800 people, mostly militants, since May, according to an Associated Press tally of coalition and Afghan figures.The bloodshed marks the deadliest period since US-led forces toppled the Taliban regime in late 2001.Thousands of US, British, Canadian and Afghan forces are taking part in Operation Mountain Thrust, a large-scale anti-Taliban offensive across southern Afghanistan.The US military also said it would cooperate in an Afghan government probe into reports that a coalition air raid killed civilians on Monday in southern Uruzgan province.The US military said it killed 40 extremists, but wounded residents said at least four civilians died.- Nampa-AP