Coalition forces kill 80 militants in E. Afghanistan
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Afghan and the NATO-led coalition forces killed over 80 Taliban militants in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province Saturday, provincial administration spokesman Mukhlis Afghan said.
"Dozens of insurgents armed with heavy and light weapons stormed joint outposts of Afghan and international forces in Margha area of Bermal district in the wee hours of today Saturday but the combined forces have repelled their attacks leaving 80 rebels dead," Afghan told Xinhua.
However, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) earlier in a statement confirmed that 30 militants were killed in airpower attacks called by their forces.
ISAF also said five service members received injuries during the fights.
In the meantime, Mukhlis Afghan insisted that no Afghan army or police were killed or wounded in the attack.
On the other hand, a Taliban purported spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in talks with media via telephone from undisclosed location confirmed 10 fighters of the outfit were killed in the attacks. He also insisted that the militants had destroyed four checkpoints besides inflicting huge casualties to the troops, a claim rejected by Mukhlis Afghan as mere propaganda.
Paktika and the neighboring Khost and Paktia provinces have been the scene of Taliban-led security incidents and militancy over the past couple of years.
