July 10, 2006 -- Afghan government and U.S.-led foreign forces report killing more than 40 suspected Taliban militants in a raid on "a known extremist compound" in southern Afghanistan today.
International coalition spokesman Chris Miller said one Afghan soldier was killed and three non-Afghan coalition soldiers were wounded during the raid on a compound in the Oruzgan Province.
A purported Taliban spokesman confirmed fighting had taken placed but claimed that five Taliban fighters had been killed along with about 50 civilians.
The international military coalition said it had no reports of civilians being hurt in the clash, and AP notes a history of unreliability from Taliban spokesmen on casualty figures.
"The enemy frequently used the compound as a sanctuary to conduct operations against local Afghans, government officials and coalition forces," the coalition said in a statement.
Some 1,400 Dutch troops are in the process of establishing a presence in the southern Oruzgan Province, where the fighting occurred.
(AP)
A purported Taliban spokesman confirmed fighting had taken placed but claimed that five Taliban fighters had been killed along with about 50 civilians.
The international military coalition said it had no reports of civilians being hurt in the clash, and AP notes a history of unreliability from Taliban spokesmen on casualty figures.
"The enemy frequently used the compound as a sanctuary to conduct operations against local Afghans, government officials and coalition forces," the coalition said in a statement.
Some 1,400 Dutch troops are in the process of establishing a presence in the southern Oruzgan Province, where the fighting occurred.
(AP)