Over 50 militants, NATO soldier killed in S. Afghanistan

Conflicts killed more than 50 insurgents and one soldier of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Uruzgan and Kandahar provinces of southern Afghanistan, an ISAF statement said Sunday.

Some ISAF forces were attacked on Saturday by a large number of militants near Tirin Kot, capital of Uruzgan, it said, adding the forces returned fire and requested close air support.

"Initial battle damage assessment indicates that approximately 50 insurgents were killed in the attack," said the statement, which added one ISAF soldier was also killed.

On the same day, Afghan and ISAF soldiers received small and heavy arms fire from insurgents in Panjwai district of the neighboring Kandahar province.

"Close air support was requested and engaged the insurgents, killing approximately 5 of them," the statement said, adding three ISAF soldiers were injured.

The casualties had been evacuated to an ISAF medical facility for treatment.

The statement did not say the nationalities of the killed or wounded soldiers.

However, the bulk of ISAF troops in Uruzgan come from Netherlands, while the majority of ISAF forces in Kandahar are Canadians.

Uruzgan and Kandahar have been hotbeds of Taliban and other insurgents, who clash with Afghan and ISAF troops frequently.

Due to rising Taliban-linked violence this year, Afghanistan has plunged into the worst spate of bloodshed since the Taliban regime was toppled down nearly five years ago.

Over 3,800 people, mostly Taliban militants, have been killed in this volatile country this year. Among the fatalities are over 150 foreign soldiers.

Source: Xinhua