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Afghan and NATO troops kill 20 Taliban


    GHAZNI, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghan and NATO-led troops backed by air power killed more than 20 Taliban insurgents southwest of the capital Kabul, a provincial official said on Thursday.

    Taliban insurgents have vowed to intensify their attacks onAfghan and foreign troops across the country and launch a waveof suicide and roadside bombs attacks this year to expelinternational troops and bring down pro-Western government.

    The latest fighting broke out in the Andar, Ghazniprovince, after a vehicle belonging to the NATO-ledInternational Security Assistance Force (ISAF) hit a roadsidebomb that wounded four its soldiers, ISAF and the districtgovernor said.

    "The aerial bombings by foreign forces during the fightingkilled more than 20 insurgents and their dead bodies are stillon the battlefield," said Andar district governor Abdur RaheemDesiwal.

    An ISAF spokesman confirmed the incident and the use of airsupport, but could not confirm any insurgent casualties.

    Meanwhile, Afghan troops backed by Western forces killedaround 18 Taliban insurgents during an operation in thesouthern province of Uruzgan on Wednesday, a governmentofficial said.

    Clashes have increased by some 40 percent in the last twomonths over last year, NATO says -- because of more ISAF andAfghan troop patrols, better weather and also because of moremilitants crossing the border from Pakistan.

    (Reporting by Sher Ahmad; Writing by Hamid Shalizi; Editingby David Fox)