Fifteen suspected militants were killed and two others wounded as they engaged with Afghan national troops in the volatile southern Uruzgan province, a press release of the Defense Ministry said Saturday.

"Fifteen enemies were killed and two others made captive, as a result of clashes and fire exchange between the Afghan National Army and the enemies of Afghan people in the Trinkot district of Uruzgan province on Friday," it said.

Two foreign nationals were also among the dead, it said, without identifying their nationality.

A Klashnikov, a satellite phone and some ammunition were seized during the operation.

Uruzgan, the home province of Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad Omar, and the neighboring provinces of Kandahar, Zabul and Helmand in south Afghanistan have been the flash point of violence over the past one month.

Taliban-led insurgency has claimed over 700 lives, most of whom were militants, in the past six months, according to Afghan officials.

Source: Xinhuait, which received Bangladesh's help during Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

The two sides will also try to explore new ways of expanding cooperation during their talks.

Officials in the foreign ministry said they hoped that Amir's visit will open up new vista in the relations of the two countries.

Bilateral trade during the outgoing financial year 2005-06 amounted 524.56 million U.S. dollars of which Kuwait exported petroleum products and others worth 516.69 million U.S. dollars and Bangladesh exported to that country goods worth 7.87 million U. S. dollars.

Source: Xinhua