NATO Airstrikes Kill 25 in Eastern Afghanistan
VOA News 11 December 2010
Coalition and Afghan forces struck back at insurgents in the eastern part of the country Saturday, following a series of attacks blamed on the Taliban.
NATO officials say more than 25 suspected insurgents were killed in an air strike in eastern Kunar province Saturday.
Meanwhile, a coalition patrol elsewhere in Kunar province killed an unknown number of insurgents after coming under attack. The patrol had been clearing a suspected bomb in the Darah-ye Pech district.
A joint coalition-Afghan patrol also engaged with insurgents in southern Helmand province Saturday. Officials say several insurgents were killed and the rest were forced to abandon a cache of bomb-making materials.
The fighting follows a series of attacks on Afghan forces and civilians over the past two days, including a roadside blast that killed 15 civilians in the Khansheen district of Helmand province on Friday.
Elsewhere, a powerful explosion hit Saturday outside police headquarters in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan. There was no immediate word about casualties.
And in Kunduz province in northern Afghanistan, officials say a suicide bomber using a police vehicle wounded five soldiers and several civilians.
Earlier Saturday, NATO said it was investigating allegations that seven members of a private security company were killed during an Afghan and coalition operation.
A coalition statement said it appears shooting broke out after its service members had "peacefully detained" a Haqqani facilitator in Paktiya province.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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