Taliban militants clash with US and Afghan forces

Afghan security forces clashed with dozens of Taliban militiamen who raided a government office in a southern province, leaving one soldier and four of the rebel fighters dead, officials said today.

Two other Taliban fighters were killed and two captured in a separate clash with US troops and Afghan government forces in another part of southern Zabul province.

The fighting came hours before campaigning began for Afghanistan’s October presidential elections, which supporters of the former ruling Taliban regime have threatened to sabotage.

Zabul is a rugged region where Taliban militants often attack Afghan security forces, foreign aid workers and US troops.

In the bloodiest clash, about 60 Taliban fighters came down from nearby mountains and stormed the chief administrator’s office in Naubahar district last night, said Jilani Khan, deputy chief of police in Zabul.

Both sides used AK-47 rifles and heavy machine guns and fought for about two hours before the attackers retreated to the hills, Khan said.

One government soldier was killed and another one was injured in the clash. The Taliban left behind four dead, he said.

“The dead bodies of the Taliban are with us. The other Taliban ran away,” Khan said.

In other fighting on Monday, Taliban opened fire on American and Afghan forces who were searching for militants in Sori district, said Zabul Gov. Khial Mohammed. Two Taliban fighters were killed and two others – one of them wounded - were captured.

The Afghan and US troops suffered no casualties.