Several Taliban killed in Afghanistan, claims US

The US-led and Afghan troops killed several insurgents in a series of operations across Afghanistan over the weekend, including one targeted at bombmakers, the forces said on Sunday. Another eight militants were killed in the operations against the "anti-government militants" in the southern and eastern Afghanistan, the US-led coalition said in a statement. Operations in the Khost province were aimed at people involved in a bombing that killed at least two people earlier this year and the kidnapping and murder of another in December, it said.

"During the course of the operation, several armed militants were killed when they attacked the joint force," it said. Eight people were arrested, including the head of the cell, and various weapons seized. The coalition forces responded with fire, killing several men, it said.