Afghanistan troops wipe out Taliban suspects in fight

The bodies of four Taliban fighters killed in a fierce battle with Afghan government troops lay along the side of a dirt road leading into this tiny southern hamlet yesterday, already covered in dust after a day of sandstorms.

The men and 36 other Taliban suspects were killed in nine hours of fighting Wednesday in three tiny villages north of Spinboldak, near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan. Seven Afghan soldiers were also killed in what was one of the deadliest exchanges between Taliban and government troops since the hardline religious government was overthrown in late 2001.

Fazaluddin Agha, district chief in Spinboldak, said about 100 troops loyal to Kandahar Governor Gul Agha Sherzai took part in the fighting, and that no Taliban suspects escaped the onslaught.

"This is the first time that we have killed this many Taliban," Agha said yesterday.