At least 26 Taliban militants and four Afghan police were killed Tuesday when the rebels assaulted a district in southern Afghanistan, an official said, dpa reported.
Hundreds of Afghan, Pakistani, Arab and Chechen insurgents attacked police outposts in Sangin district, Helmand provincial government spokesman Amar Zwak said.
"The security forces resisted and the exchange of fire left at least 26 insurgents dead," Zwak said.
He said the fighting was continuing and troop reinforcements were being sent from provincial capital Lashkargah.
It was the first time head-on combat of the new fighting season.
A Taliban spokesman said their fighters killed 11 police and wounded 12.
"Also, two tanks, one vehicle and one truck belonging to the enemy were set on fire," Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said.
But NATO forces denied knowledge of any large combat in the area, saying they did not see "anywhere near the reported 500 to 1,000 insurgents."
"Our reporting shows there were about 10 groups of 4-5 fighters each doing drive-by shootings against five police checkpoints," the military coalition said.