Afghan National Army, backed by the air strike by NATO forces,
killed and injured more than 100 Taliban insurgents in an
over-night operation launched Saturday in southern Afghan province
of Kandahar, the police said on Sunday.
"At least 100 Taliban militants have been killed and injured in
the clean up operation in the Jalai district so far," provincial
police chief Syed Aqa Saqib told Xinhua, adding "25 bodies of
insurgents were buried in one grave in the Narghan village of
Jalai."
He said that one soldier from Afghan National Army and one local
police were also killed in the clash but there were no casualties
on the civilians.
Meanwhile, Taliban purported spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi from an
unknown location said that only four insurgents were killed and
three others were wounded while the militants had destroyed two
military vehicles.
"Actually, many local civilians were killed in the bombard by
NATO helicopters," Ahmadi added.
The fresh operation came in the wake of a militants attack in
Jalai district of Kandahar on Friday, in which six persons
including four policemen were killed.
Militancy and conflicts have claimed more than 5,700 people's
lives including 1,200 civilians so far this year in
Afghanistan.
(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2007)
