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Three Taliban militants detained, 14 more killed in Afghanistan

Other News Materials 22 November 2008 10:46 (UTC +04:00)

The U.S. -led Coalition forces and Afghan army in operations against anti-government militants in Afghanistan have detained three Taliban rebels and 14 others, said the Coalition statement received here on Saturday.

Coalition forces detained three suspected militants including the targeted individual during an operation to disrupt the Taliban network in Waghez district of Ghazni in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, the statement said, reported Xinhua.

The target militant is known to be in direct contact with senior Taliban leaders in the region who facilitate the movement of foreign fighters and coordinate terrorist activities, it added. "The force searched the compound without incident while protecting nine women and ten children during the operation."

In another operation early Friday in Farah province, western Afghanistan, Afghan National Army (ANA) backed by Coalition forces eliminated four militants in the area, the statement said.

"The combined forces were conducting a raid on a compound, targeting a Taliban commander in Dowlatabad village, Farah province, when they received fire from several enemy fighting positions," it said. "The combined forces quickly returned fire and also established a security perimeter to protect 30 children, 25 women and 34 other non-combatants in the area of the operation. "

"The exchange of fire resulted in the deaths of four enemy fighters who the local population confirmed were Taliban militants, " it added.

No ANA soldiers, Coalition forces or civilian casualties resulted from the operation, it further noted.

Moreover, Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and Coalition forces on Thursday killed 10 militants near highway in Nahr Surkh district of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province.

"ANSF and Coalition forces were conducting a security patrol when they were attacked by militants with small-arms and machine- gun fire," it said. "ANSF and Coalition forces returned fire, killing 10 militants."

One ANSF soldier was injured in the clash, it added.

Spiraling conflicts and Taliban-linked insurgency have claimed over 5,000 people, mostly militants, so far this year in strife- torn Afghanistan as Taliban insurgents have vowed to intensify assaults against interests of Afghan government and international troops before the coming winter.

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