Afghan insurgents killed in cave battle

US-led forces killed three insurgents in a gunbattle at a cave complex in southeastern Afghanistan, the American military said today.

The skirmish was the first reported by the US military since the start of a new operation on March 7 designed to intensify the campaign against a stubborn Taliban-led insurgency and to track down terrorist leaders including Osama bin Laden.

The clash came as dozens of troops, including special forces, searched the complex southwest of Qalat, the capital of Zabul province, 240 miles southwest of the capital Kabul, spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Hilferty said.

He said the coalition troops, who were armed with rifles and machine guns, also came under fire, but none were reported injured.

Hilferty said troops, including special forces, arrested five militiamen in the caves, and that eight more suspects were later detained in the same area.