'Hundreds of Taliban killed' in Kandahar drive
Hundreds of Taliban fighters killed in Afghan army-led operation in south of country, Kandahar governor claims
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Thursday, 19, Jun 2008 12:21
Hundreds of Taliban fighters have been killed in a joint operation by the Afghan army and Nato, a provincial governor has claimed.
Kandahar governor Assadullah Khalid said insurgents had been utterly defeated after occupying positions in the outlying areas of the province's capital city.
"The Taliban have been cleared totally from Arghandab district," he told a news conference.
Nato soldiers from Canada had supported the Afghan-led operation, which came after militants freed hundreds of prisoners from a jail in Kandahar City.
The incident led to Afghan president Hamid Karzai claiming he would be justified in sending troops into Pakistan to attack insurgents based there.
Mr Karzai's remarks were condemned from Islamabad, but Mr Khalid told journalists today many of the fighters killed in the Arghandab offensive were Pakistanis.
Nato has downplayed the death-toll from the operation, however, with Task Force Kandahar deputy commander Colonel Jamie Cade saying calm was beginning to return to Kandahar City.
"We know insurgents are in the area, but they do not have the numbers or the foothold that they previously claimed," he said.
"Our assessment is that moderate numbers of insurgents have simply taken refuge in the lush surroundings of the district, and are stirring up fears among the local population."