LOC15:53
12:53 GMT
KABUL, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- One US soldier and six Taliban militants have been
killed in separate incidents of violence in Afghanistan, officials said on
Saturday.
The US soldier died in a roadside landmine incident in southern
Afghanistan, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said
in a statement. It did not give more details.
Separately, the Afghan police and army killed six Taliban in the country's
northern province of Kunduz.
Police officials in the city of Kunduz said the operation was conducted on
a tip-off about the presence of Taliban in Dashte Archi district. They said
the two sides clashed and the fighting continued for three hours.
Six militants were killed in the firefight while the rest managed to
escape, said police chief of Kunduz province.
Kunduz was considered one of the peaceful provinces of Afghanistan.
However, attacks on foreign and local troops have been increased in the area
over the past few months pointing to the spread of militants from the volatile
southern to the comparatively peaceful northern zone. (end)
gk.ajs
KUNA 191553 Dec 09NNNN