50 Taliban killed in military raid

At least 50 Taliban have been killed by Afghan, US and Canadian troops in a huge battle outside the southern Afghan city of Kandahar.

Coalition soldiers have surrounded another 250 Taliban fighters who have commandeered homes in nearby villages.

Hundreds of Afghans, their cars and tractors piled with personal possessions, were fleeing the battleground.

A provincial police spokesman said: “The people are fleeing because the Taliban are taking over civilian homes.”

“There have been no airstrikes. We are trying our best to attack those areas where there are no civilians, only Taliban.”

The Taliban moved into the Arghandab district of Kandahar province this week, about two weeks after the death of powerful tribal leader Mullah Naqib who had kept them out.

“He was a good influence for his tribe. He was supporting the government,” the police spokesman said.

“After he died the Taliban were thinking they would go to Arghandab and cause trouble for Kandahar city. But now they’re surrounded and they’re in big trouble. We are capturing and killing them and I don’t think it will cause any problem for Kandahar.”