This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7013595.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Afghan clashes kill '120 Taleban' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The US-led coalition force in Afghanistan says that more than 120 Taleban fighters have been killed in separate clashes in the south. | |
| They say that more than 65 insurgents were killed in Uruzgan province on Tuesday night, and at least 60 were killed in neighbouring Helmand. | |
| Villagers say that 12 civilians in the Helmand attack died in air strikes and 50 families fled their homes. | |
| The conflicting claims could not be independently verified. | The conflicting claims could not be independently verified. |
| Violence has soared in Afghanistan and more than 3,000 people have been killed this year as Afghan and foreign forces battle Taleban fighters. | Violence has soared in Afghanistan and more than 3,000 people have been killed this year as Afghan and foreign forces battle Taleban fighters. |
| UN address | |
| In recent times, there has been heavy fighting between US-led forces and Taleban militants in southern Afghanistan. | In recent times, there has been heavy fighting between US-led forces and Taleban militants in southern Afghanistan. |
| 2007 has been a violent year in Afghanistan | |
| A coalition statement said that violence in Uruzgan began when Afghan and US-led coalition forces were attacked by insurgents while on patrol. | |
| They called in air strikes, and more than 65 suspected militants - armed with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars were killed, the coalition statement said. | |
| An earlier statement issued by the coalition in relation to the Helmand violence said a combined force of the Afghan army and the coalition was patrolling near Musa Qala - a village formerly occupied by British troops but held by the Taleban for nearly a year. | |
| Several dozen insurgents attacked the convoy from trenches and compounds and continued reinforcing their positions, the statement added. | Several dozen insurgents attacked the convoy from trenches and compounds and continued reinforcing their positions, the statement added. |
| Subsequent coalition air strikes killed more than 60 rebels, while one coalition soldier died, it said. | Subsequent coalition air strikes killed more than 60 rebels, while one coalition soldier died, it said. |
| The US-led coalition said the targets had been identified as Taleban positions but villagers told the BBC that 12 civilians were killed in the air bombardment and 50 families fled their homes. | The US-led coalition said the targets had been identified as Taleban positions but villagers told the BBC that 12 civilians were killed in the air bombardment and 50 families fled their homes. |
| The Taleban, for its part, gave very different figures - it said three of their fighters and 20 foreign and Afghan army forces had died. | The Taleban, for its part, gave very different figures - it said three of their fighters and 20 foreign and Afghan army forces had died. |
| Separately, the Interior Ministry told the BBC that a suicide bomber on a motorbike attacked the Spin Boldak border post adjoining Pakistan, killing four guards and several civilians. | Separately, the Interior Ministry told the BBC that a suicide bomber on a motorbike attacked the Spin Boldak border post adjoining Pakistan, killing four guards and several civilians. |
| Exact details of the attack were not immediately available. | Exact details of the attack were not immediately available. |
| The latest violence comes before the Afghan President Hamid Karzai addresses the UN general assembly later on Wednesday. | |
| He has been under intense pressure over the high number of civilian casualties and has repeatedly called for Western troops to exercise more care. |