KABUL,
August 30 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - U.S.-backed Afghan
forces have killed at least 33 gunmen in three days of fighting
against suspected Taliban elements in southeastern Afghanistan, the
U.S. military said Saturday, August 30, as Afghan officials reported
20 more deaths.
Afghan
and U.S.-led forces have been engaged in a major operation against
suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda bases in the mountains of Daychopan
district of Zabul province, 300 kilometers (190 miles) southwest of
Kabul, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
U.S.
military spokesman Colonel Rodney Davis said the "coalition"
confirmed at least 33 Taliban suspects were killed in fighting between
Monday and Wednesday.
Afghan
officials in Zabul said a further 20 suspected Taliban were killed on
Friday, August 29.
"At
least 20 Taliban were killed yesterday (Friday) in Daychopan district
of Zabul province and two government soldiers were slightly
injured," said Haji Sadow, secretary for Zabul security commander
Haji Ayob.
Zabul
governor Hafizullah Hashim also told AFP that up to 20 suspects were
killed in eight hours of fighting Friday.
"Their
bodies are scattered in the area. They (the Taliban) have been
weakened and I think they cannot pose any threat to us any more,"
Hashim said.
Colonel
Davis confirmed that anti-Taliban operations were continuing but would
not provide any further details, citing security reasons. Davis was
not able to confirm the Afghan officials' claims of 20 killed on
Friday.
Sadow,
for his part, told AFP by satellite phone that the Taliban were
surrounded by government forces in the mountains of Daychopan, noting
that American aircrafts were bombing their bases in the mountains.
"The
fighting is still going on. Since Daychopan is a mountainous area so
it is hard to locate enemy positions and they can easily change their
positions and hide, but the operation is going on successfully and
area will be cleaned up very soon," he said.
The
12,500-strong U.S.-led force is currently hunting al-Qaeda and Taliban
remnants, mainly along the 2,400-kilometre (1,500-mile)
Afghan-Pakistan border.
Local
Afghan officials have claimed that up to 300 Taliban were regrouping
in mountains in Zabul and Uruzgan, the birthplace of the Taliban's
spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar.
They
further alleged that Taliban members are regrouping in Pakistan's
remote tribal borderlands.
