Afghans hunt Taleban after clash
"Afghan government forces have been pursuing Taleban fighters in the
south after a major battle.
The clashes in Kandahar province on Friday were some of the most
serious in a recent upsurge of fighting.
The governor of Kandahar said seven police were killed and the bodies
of 13 Taleban had been found - but that there were reports of up to 41
Taleban dead.
On Saturday further shots were fired as police and army units searched
for other insurgents.
Correspondents say it is the first time in a long while that so many
Taleban have clashed with police and the national army in the restive
province of Kandahar.
Previous violence has consisted of suicide attacks and roadside bombs,
says the BBC's Alistair Leithead in Kandahar.
Friday's conflict was sparked after police encountered more than 100
Taleban fighters about 40km (25 miles) from Kandahar city, after they
fled an offensive in neighbouring Helmand province, Kandahar governor
Assadullah Khalid said.
Coalition support
"Acting on intelligence reports that Taleban have gathered in Sangisar
to plan an attack in Kandahar, we launched this operation Friday and
the fighting continued from morning to evening," Mr Khalid told a
press conference earlier on Saturday.
"In the evening, Afghan army and coalition forces came to support
police."
Mr Khalid said nine police and three civilians had also been injured,
while 13 Taleban were arrested and survivors were being sought.
"Today we have operations just to find them," he told the BBC.
The village of Sangisar was formerly home to fugitive Taleban leader
Mullah Mohammad Omar.
Kandahar's governor has raised concerns about security to cabinet
ministers who are visiting the province this weekend.
He is insisting more resources are needed to fight Taleban forces.
Taleban 'resurgent'
Samina Ahmed, South Asia director of the International Crisis Group,
said the latest fighting followed a "pattern of activity" repeated
over the past couple of years.
"In the spring there's always been a resurgence of Taleban activity,"
she told the BBC.
"But that said, this is linked this year to the expansion of Nato
forces to the south.
"The Taleban... started a few months ago, with targeted attacks, with
suicide attacks. And now it appears that they're adding to their
arsenal these large-scale attacks."
On Wednesday coalition and Afghan forces launched Operation Mountain
Lion, a major military operation against suspected insurgent positions
in eastern Kunar province.
Some 2,500 US, British and Afghan troops are taking part in the
offensive, which according to the Afghan defence ministry is the
biggest joint operation since the Taleban were driven from power in
2001.
Foreign forces gave Afghan troops support in Friday's battle but did
not suffer any casualties, reports said.
In other violence, at least three policemen were killed in a roadside
bombing near the Pakistani border on Friday.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/4911462.stm
Published: 2006/04/15 15:26:30 GMT
© BBC MMVI"
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