Fresh Violence in Restive Southern Afghanistan
20 May 2006
Intense fighting continues between Afghan forces and Taleban militants in restive southern Afghanistan, where insurgents Saturday ambushed an Afghan army convoy.
The Afghan military says at least four Afghan soldiers were killed in the ensuing battle in Helmand province. Officials did not provide the number of militants killed.
In western Afghanistan, authorities say an Afghan militia commander was wounded Saturday in a grenade attack.
Amanullah Kahn was traveling to a UN-backed disarmament ceremony when an unidentified attacker threw a grenade into his car.
In separate violence, U.S. military officials in Afghanistan say a U.S. soldier has been killed and six others wounded in a battle with insurgents.
The soldier was killed Friday in the southern province of Uruzgan when Afghan and coalition troops encountered militants while conducting a joint security operation. More than 20 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year.
Fighting in southern Afghanistan Wednesday and Thursday left more than 120 people dead, including Taleban militants, a Canadian soldier and a U.S. civilian contractor training Afghan police.
Heavy fighting in recent days is among the fiercest since the 2001 overthrow of the hardline Taleban Islamist government.
Taleban supporters have intensified attacks against the Afghan government and foreigners in recent months, particularly in southern and eastern Afghanistan.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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