KABUL (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition and Afghan troops killed more than 220 suspected Taliban militants in an operation in southern Afghanistan last week, the U.S. military said on Monday, the biggest recent toll of insurgent deaths.
Several residents told a Reuters reporter by telephone thatmore than 70 civilians were killed in air strikes by foreignforces in the Sangin district of Helmand province.
"The operation is mostly wrapped up. The troops killed morethan 220 militants," U.S. military spokesman Nathan Perry said.
There was no immediate comment from the U.S. military aboutthe claims of civilian casualties.
There were no military casualties in the fighting in thearea between Sangin and Kajaki districts, Perry said.
He said the four-day operation in Helmand was launchedafter militants attacked a military convoy carrying equipmentfor a power-supply dam in the Kajaki area.
(Reporting by Sayed Salahuddin; Writing by Sanjeev Miglani;Editing by Paul Tait)
