☰

Global

Governor says NATO air raid kills dozens of Taliban


    KHOST, Afghanistan (Reuters) - NATO killed dozens of Taliban insurgents in an air strike on Sunday in Afghanistan's southeastern province of Khost, the provincial governor said.

    Violence has escalated in Afghanistan over the past twoyears after the ousted Taliban regrouped and launched theirinsurgency against the government and the foreign troopsbacking it.

    The pre-dawn raid was summoned to fend off an attack by theinsurgents in Spera district, which lies near the border withPakistan, Arsala Jamal said.

    "The Taliban attacked the headquarters of Spera district,killed two police and also damaged the building early thismorning," he told reporters.

    "We had little force there and asked NATO for air support... NATO air strikes killed 50 to 70 insurgents," he said.

    The Taliban said the group suffered no casualties, addingits fighters killed eight police in the attack on the districtheadquarters.

    Removed from power in 2001 by U.S.-led troops, the Talibanare mostly active in southern and eastern areas borderingPakistan where the militants have sanctuaries in Pakistan'slawless tribal region, dominated by ethnic Pashtuns who mostlyform the Taliban's ranks.

    (Writing by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by David Fogarty)