AFGHANISTAN: Five Afghan soldiers and three Taliban guerrillas were killed in the restive province of Zabul in the latest attack blamed on the ousted Islamic militia, an official said yesterday.
Extending one of the bloodiest few weeks since the fall of the Taliban late in 2001, government troops were ambushed on Saturday in the Dai Chopain district of Zabul as they were chasing a group of 250 to 300 suspected militants.
Mr Hamdullah Watandost, spokesman for the governor of Zabul, said two Taliban fighters were captured during the clash, including a senior commander whom he did not identify.
The militants were believed to be the same group that fought government troops on Friday in the central Uruzgan province before fleeing south-east into neighbouring Zabul. In that clash, two Afghan soldiers and four Taliban fighters were killed.
Mr Watandost said about 200 Afghan soldiers were following the rebels. - (Reuters)