US coalition forces attacked in firefight

Gunmen have attacked US coalition forces in eastern Afghanistan, touching off a firefight that lasted several hours.

It is not clear whether American troops were directly involved in the attack in the city of Khost, which is on the southeastern end of the valley where Operation Anaconda was staged.

The operation ended earlier this week, but US forces say they are continuing to pursue any remaining al-Qaida fighters that might have escaped from the battle zone.

"Last night, terrorists using machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars attacked coalition forces in Khost. We returned fire and continue to develop the situation as we speak," said Major Bryan Hilferty, spokesman for the 10th Mountain Division.

Maj Hilferty said he was not immediately aware of any casualties. He would not say how many US or allied troops were in the area.

The fighting in Khost comes less than a day after gunmen challenging the authority of the newly-appointed police chief exchanged fire with security forces, killing one person and injuring three others.

The gun battle occurred in the town's main market and forced people to shutter their shops, the Afghan Islamic Press reported.

Close to the Pakistani border, Khost was a hotbed of support for the Taliban and al-Qaida and has been the scene of several sporadic bombings and shootings in recent weeks.