By Sayed Salahuddin
KABUL (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition and Afghan troopskilled more than 220 suspected Taliban militants in anoperation in southern Afghanistan last week, the U.S. militarysaid 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.
He said he was not aware of any civilian casualties.
Violence in Afghanistan has surged this year to its worstlevel, the bloodiest period since the Taliban's ouster in 2001,and tempers have been running high over rising civiliancasualties.
The four-day operation in Helmand was launched aftermilitants attacked a military convoy carrying equipment for apower-supply dam in the Kajaki area.
"Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces wereattacked repeatedly with small arms and heavy-weapons fireduring multiple engagements," the U.S. military said in astatement.
"The soldiers responded with small-arms fire, heavy-weaponsand close air support, eliminating the militant threats."
There were no military casualties in the fighting in thearea between Sangin and Kajaki districts, Perry said.
The Taliban were not immediately available for comment,making it difficult to assess how big a blow the deaths of the220 fighters would be. In the past they have accused foreignforces of making exaggerated claims.
ANGER
On Monday, hundreds of protesters blocked a road in Kabulaccusing U.S.-led troops of killing three members of a family,including two children, in a raid earlier in the day.
NATO and U.S. military officials could not be reached forcomment on the allegation, the latest in a string of incidentsthat have angered Afghans and caused a split between the Afghangovernment and foreign troops.
Residents said U.S.-led troops carried out a pre-dawn raidin Hud Kheil area in the eastern quarter of Kabul, killing aman identified by neighbours as Noorullah and two of his sons.
"It was past one o'clock when the troops came andsurrounded our houses," said Sulaiman, a resident.
"They threw hand grenades on one house and killed threefamily members," he said. Noorullah's wife was wounded, hesaid.
Local television showed footage of bodies and a damagedhouse.
"Are these two children al Qaeda?" an angry resident askedas the bodies were taken for burial.
Sulaiman said residents in the area don't expect anythingfrom the government "because we don't have a government".
Several U.S. and NATO military bases are located in thearea. Three people were taken away by the troops, residentssaid.
Angry demonstrators burnt tyres on the Kabul-Jalalabadhighway which links Afghanistan with Pakistan.
President Hamid Karzai last week ordered a review offoreign troops in Afghanistan after his administration said 96civilians were killed in an air raid by the U.S.-led coalitionin western Herat. The U.S. military said it had targetedmilitants and that an investigation was being carried out.
More than 500 civilians have been killed during operationsby foreign and Afghan forces against the militants so far thisyear, according to the Afghan government and some aid groups.
(Writing by Sanjeev Miglani; Editing by Paul Tait)
