Between 40 and 50 suspected Taliban militants have been killed in heavy fighting with Afghan forces backed by US attack helicopters and "tank buster" aircraft near the Pakistan border, the US military said today.
The casualty figure, based on estimates by pilots flying in support of Afghan soldiers in the fighting yesterday, came in a statement from the US-led force of 18,000 troops hunting al Qaeda and Taliban guerrillas in Afghanistan.
The US military said it was one of the bloodiest clashes since American forces
entered Afghanistan.
Local commander General Khialbaz Sherzai said yesterday his forces saw suspected Taliban militants retreat over the border into Pakistan, many apparently wounded.
Pakistan denies Afghan accusations that its territory is being used as a sanctuary by militants.
Remnants of the Taliban, ousted in a US-led war in 2001, have declared a "jihad", or holy war against foreign forces, Afghan troops, government officials and aid workers.
They have vowed to disrupt preparations for Afghan elections in October and April.
US-led forces sent a B-1 bomber, A-10 Thunderbolt II "tank buster" aircraft and attack helicopters to support Afghan soldiers in the latest clashes.