Afghan officials said at least 20 suspected Taliban were killed in US air strikes in the south of the country today, but the US military in Kabul would not confirm the attacks.
Mr Khan Mohammad, a corps commander in the southern city of Kandahar, said Afghan forces had been engaged in fierce clashes with suspected Taliban near the town of Spin Boldak, which lies on the Pakistani border.
"There has been fighting going on between Afghan forces and the Taliban," he told said. "They called in US (air) support." He said 20 Taliban had been killed and that fighting continued.