Taliban cleared from Kandahar villages

Afghan officials say military operations have cleared Taliban militants from the villages they had infiltrated outside of southern Afghanistan’s largest city.

Kandahar Governor Asadullah Khalid says today that Taliban fighters have fled the villages in Arghandab district after overnight battles and air strikes. Khalid reports “hundreds” of Taliban wounded or killed over the last several days, but Nato officials have not confirmed that claim.

Nato spokesman Mark Laity says the joint mission is progressing “methodically and successfully” and has met minimal resistance. Laity confirms Nato air strikes overnight, but says he does not have precise casualty figures.