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Nato kills 94 'Taleban fighters' | Nato kills 94 'Taleban fighters' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Nato and Afghan forces have killed 94 Taleban fighters in intense overnight clashes in southern Afghanistan, the military alliance says. | Nato and Afghan forces have killed 94 Taleban fighters in intense overnight clashes in southern Afghanistan, the military alliance says. |
Ground troops, backed up by air support, fought four battles in Kandahar province, Nato said. | |
It is part of Operation Medusa, which Nato says has killed 420 insurgents since it began more than a week ago. | |
In a separate incident in the east of the country, a provincial governor was killed in a suicide bomb attack. | |
Paktia Governor, Hakim Taniwal, was in a car leaving his office in the provincial capital Gardez when he was targeted by the bomber with explosives attached to his body. | |
A bodyguard and driver were also killed in the attack, for which the Taleban has claimed responsibility. | |
Governor Taniwal is the highest-ranking Afghan official to be killed since the Taleban insurgency began. | |
Air strikes | |
The latest fighting in southern Afghanistan took place in the Taleban stronghold of Panjwayi and neighbouring Zhari district, not far from Kandahar city. | The latest fighting in southern Afghanistan took place in the Taleban stronghold of Panjwayi and neighbouring Zhari district, not far from Kandahar city. |
Nato said insurgents suffered further casualties when a counterattack was intercepted. | |
It comes a day after Nato carried out air strikes and artillery barrages in the same area, which, according to the alliance, killed 40 Taleban. | It comes a day after Nato carried out air strikes and artillery barrages in the same area, which, according to the alliance, killed 40 Taleban. |
Operation Medusa, led by Canadian forces, began on 2 September and aims to drive the insurgents from their strongholds in Kandahar. | |
It is the biggest operation in the area since the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) took over southern Afghanistan from a US-led coalition at the end of July. | It is the biggest operation in the area since the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) took over southern Afghanistan from a US-led coalition at the end of July. |
Taleban spokesmen have disputed Nato's claim that the operation has so far killed 420 insurgents. |