KABUL - US-led warplanes and troops killed up to nine suspected Taliban rebels after the militants launched three attacks in quick succession on Afghan and US-led coalition forces, the American military said Tuesday.
No Afghan or coalition troops were killed or injured in the onslaught on Monday by the insurgents at Barmal in Paktika province, a coalition press statement said.
"Initial reports indicate up to nine insurgents were killed May 30 during three near-simultaneous attacks against Afghan and coalition positions along the Afghan-Pakistan border," the statement said.
Three Afghan and coalition positions close to each other near the border came under attack by small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire, it said.
"Coalition aircraft responded to the scene and, in conjunction with ground forces, pursued the attackers, killing a suspected six to nine insurgents," read the statement.
It did not say who had carried out the attack.
But previous incidents have been blamed on remnants of the hardline Islamic Taliban regime, which was toppled by a US-led invasion in late 2001 for failing to hand over Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Those attacks killed more than 3,000 people in the United States and for which Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility.
More than 18,000 coalition troops, including about 16,000 US forces, are in Afghanistan hunting Taliban rebels who are still waging a guerrilla-style insurgency.
Four police and another seven suspected Taliban died on Monday when militants attacked a police headquarters in the Arghandab district of Zabul province, officials said earlier Tuesday.
05/31/2005 13:19 GMT