The NATO-led alliance and Afghan troops killed 19 and wounded 13 Taliban militants in two separate operations in the eastern province of Kunar in Afghanistan, local authorities said on Sunday.
The operations were launched early on Sunday after a mixed patrol of NATO and Afghan troops was ambushed by Taliban militants in the district of Sarkano. By retaliation fire, 11 Taliban militants were killed while there were no casualties among the NATO and Afghan troops, the authorities said.
Meanwhile, NATO forces delivered an air strike early on Sunday on the militants' stronghold in the district of Nari, killing eight and wounding 13 gunmen, the authorities said.
Violence has surged in Afghanistan in recent months, with the Taliban group, which was toppled in a 2001 U.S.-led campaign, staging regular attacks on provincial government officials, police and civilians and planting roadside bombs to target Afghan, U.S. and NATO troops.
KABUL, December 12 (RIA Novosti)
