 (KUNA) -- A NATO soldier and 55 Taliban fighters were killed as fighting erupted in Afghanistan's southern Uruzgan province last night and continued till Sunday morning. Afghan officials say Taliban attacked a joint convoy of NATO and Afghan military in Chora valley, situated north of the provincial capital of Tarinkot. Mohammad Qasim, police chief of the province, said the NATO forces also call air support to target the hideouts of the assailants. He said the clash was still continued with both sides using light and heavy arms.
| About 150 Taliban attacked their convoy with small arms which sparked fighting between the two sides. The NATO forces called close air support and their helicopters pounded Taliban's positions. |
A statement issued by the NATO forces says one of their soldiers was killed and eight wounded when their vehicle hit a landmine in the area. Nationalities of the soldiers were not released. The statement said in the same area, about 150 Taliban attacked their convoy with small arms which sparked fighting between the two sides. The NATO forces called close air support and their helicopters pounded Taliban's positions. In the fire fight lasting several hours, the insurgents were engaged by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Afghan National Army (ANA) small arms fire, attack helicopters and close air support. "Close cooperation between the ANA and ISAF ensured the defeat of the insurgents and initial battle damage assessment indicates that up to 55 insurgents were killed," said the NATO forces. |