'Taliban commander' among 16 killed in coalition airstrike

A US-led coalition airstrike in southern Afghanistan today killed a suspected midlevel Taliban commander and up to 15 other suspected militants, Nato said in a statement.

Three 500-pound bombs were dropped on a compound in the Khod Valley of southern Uruzgan province, in support of a Nato-led operation targeting a group of militants who had previously ambushed Nato and Afghan troops, an alliance statement said.

No civilians were hurt or neighbouring buildings damaged, according to Nato.

Nato did not name the suspected Taliban commander.