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NATO troops kill 120 Afghan insurgents

"The end is near for the Taliban that believe Musa Qala is safe from Islamic Republic of Afghanistan forces."

Chris Belcher, coalition spokesman

NATO and US-led troops backed up by warplanes have killed more than 120 Taliban insurgents in two major battles in southern Afghanistan, officials said yesterday.

One soldier was killed, a trooper with the 15,000-strong US-led coalition who died during a day-long gun battle in the restive province of Helmand on Tuesday.

Around 60 rebels were killed in that battle, the coalition said, adding that air power was also used.

The fighting erupted during an Afghan and coalition patrol aimed at clearing an area near the Taliban-controlled district center of Musa Qala in Helmand.

"The initial estimate by the ground force commander assessed that more than 61 insurgents were killed in the engagement," the statement said.

The figures could not be verified independently.

More than 65 rebels were killed late Tuesday in a similar battle in the south-central province of Uruzgan, another hotbed for the Taliban insurgents, said a separate NATO-led force which has around 40,000 troops.

NATO warplanes and artillery supported the Afghan and NATO forces on the ground, it said.

"Precision-guided munitions were employed on positively identified Taliban positions, killing more than 65 insurgents," the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) statement said.

There have been several major clashes in southern Afghanistan in the past few weeks during which scores of rebels have been killed.

The nationality of the latest foreign soldier to be killed was not announced by the US-dominated coalition.

With the new death, 173 coalition troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year, most in combat operations against militants, according to an AFP count based on official figures.

The Musa Qala district has become one of the Taliban's most significant strongholds since rebels overran the town in February.

"The end is near for the Taliban that believe Musa Qala is safe from Islamic Republic of Afghanistan forces," coalition spokesman Major Chris Belcher said in a statement about the latest fighting.

"This combined operation is just one more step to securing the Musa Qala area of the Helmand province," he said.

NATO forces reported meanwhile that one of its helicopters overturned in the province of Badghis on Tuesday while trying to land during a mission to rescue Afghan police wounded in a bombing.

No ISAF staff were hurt during the incident, which did not involve hostile activity, it said in a statement. The Taliban reportedly claimed the chopper was shot down.

A second helicopter was able recover the crew of the damaged helicopter and two critically wounded Afghan police.
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