At least 12 insurgents have been killed in the latest clash with US-led coalition forces in southeastern Afghanistan, a press release from the coalition said on Thursday.

On Tuesday night, the insurgents launched a rocket attack at Forward Operating Base Salerno in Khost city, about 140 km southeast of Kabul, the release said.

"They shot at us with rockets and we were responded with artillery, fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft," said US Army fire support officer Major J.R. Mendoza in the release. "We were able to see the launching point of the rockets and we brought everything we had to bear on it."

"These rocket attacks are, by their nature, indiscriminate. They attack not only our forces but innocent civilians as well. This seems to be the norm with insurgent rocket attacks," said US Army Lt. Col. Robert Cornejo.

The fight in Khost is the latest in a series of deadly clashes between US-led coalition forces and insurgents.

Taliban's elusive chief Mullah Mohammad Omar, whose supporters have intensified their activities since the beginning of spring, vowed early March in a statement to continue Jihad or holy war till the withdrawal of US-dominated foreign troops from Afghanistan.

Source: Xinhua