Two coalition soldiers and up to 48 rebels have been killed in southern Afghanistan where the biggest anti-Taliban operation is under way, the military said on Sunday.
The fighting erupted during the day on Saturday in a Taleban hotbed in Panjwayi district of Kandahar province and lasted into the night, an Afghan commander said. The Afghan army said 48 rebels were killed and five arrested; the coalition put the toll at 45.
That brought to almost 200 the number of insurgents killed as part of Operation Mountain Thrust over the past two weeks. The Afghan defence ministry had put the toll for that period at 149 on Saturday. Two soldiers with the US-led coalition died in hospital after being badly wounded in the clash, the force said in a statement. Another was hurt.