Taliban militants killed

BRITISH and Afghan forces battled Taliban militants yesterday, killing at least 19.

Coalition forces also killed a local Taliban commander and captured two extremists in a separate clash in southern Afghanistan, where thousands of foreign troops are trying to crush a militant campaign.

British spokesman Capt. Drew Gibson said coalition aircraft dropped two 500-pound bombs on two Taliban targets in the Helmand provincial town of Nawzad.

“We have gone right into the Taliban’s territory and reduced their freedom of movement and that has provoked a reaction,” Capt Gibson said.