Nato soldier and 57 insurgents killed

One Nato soldier and about 57 insurgents were killed in four separate attacks in southern Afghanistan, officials said today.

Insurgents attacked Nato-led forces on Saturday near Tirin Kot district in Uruzgan province. Nato returned fire and requested air support, killing approximately 50 insurgents, said the International Security Assistance Force of Afghanistan.

One Nato soldier was also killed in the incident.

Also yesterday in the Panjwayi district of Kandahar province, insurgents fired upon Afghan National Army and Nato soldiers. A retaliatory air strike killed approximately five insurgents, said the ISAF statement. Three Nato soldiers were injured.

In neighbouring Zabul province, about 50 Taliban fighters attacked the Arghandab district chief compound on Saturday and clashed with police for about an hour, leaving one Taliban dead and three wounded, said district chief Fazal Bari. He said the police suffered no casualties.

On the Kabul-Kandahar highway in Zabul, Taliban fighters ambushed a police convoy Saturday night and exchanged gunfire with police for about 20 minutes, said Zabul highway police commander Jainani Khan. One Taliban was killed.

Attacks and clashes occur almost daily in the lawless southern provinces – the Taliban stronghold, where the Afghan government wields little power.