US and Afghan forces kill 105 rebels in three weeks

KABUL – US and Afghan forces have killed at least 105 Taliban militants in the past three weeks during operations to increase security before key legislative elections, the American military said yesterday.

Around 65 insurgents died during battles last week at Deh Chopan in the southern province of Zabul where four US soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb on Sunday, spokeswoman Lieutenant Cindy Moore told reporters. Separately, more than 40 rebels were killed over the past three weeks during operations to clear “enemy” forces from the eastern province of Kunar, Moore added.In June Taliban rebels shot down a US military helicopter in Kunar, killing all 16 on board.The helicopter was trying to rescue a team of four elite US Navy SEALS, three of whom were shot dead by militants.”The focus of these battles is to find, disrupt and defeat the enemies of Afghanistan,” Moore said.The fundamentalist Taliban, whose regime was toppled in a US-led offensive in late 2001, have stepped up attacks in the run-up to parliamentary and district polls on September 18.Nearly 1 000 people have been killed so far this year compared with 850 in 2004.Around half of the dead are militants while US forces have suffered their bloodiest year in the country, losing 74 soldiers so far in operations linked to Afghanistan.- Nampa-AFPSeparately, more than 40 rebels were killed over the past three weeks during operations to clear “enemy” forces from the eastern province of Kunar, Moore added.In June Taliban rebels shot down a US military helicopter in Kunar, killing all 16 on board.The helicopter was trying to rescue a team of four elite US Navy SEALS, three of whom were shot dead by militants.”The focus of these battles is to find, disrupt and defeat the enemies of Afghanistan,” Moore said.The fundamentalist Taliban, whose regime was toppled in a US-led offensive in late 2001, have stepped up attacks in the run-up to parliamentary and district polls on September 18.Nearly 1 000 people have been killed so far this year compared with 850 in 2004.Around half of the dead are militants while US forces have suffered their bloodiest year in the country, losing 74 soldiers so far in operations linked to Afghanistan.- Nampa-AFP