Taliban Commander Among Five Killed In Afghan Fighting

5 January 2005 -- A provincial governor in southern Afghanistan says Taliban militants attacked a government office and killed one of the Afghan soldiers guarding the building.
Zabul Governor Khial Mohammad Hosayni said today that five of the militants were killed during the gunbattle, including a rebel commander.

The remaining militants withdrew before U.S. forces arrived at the mayor's office in the Atghar district on 3 January.

Militants regularly attack government and U.S. forces close to the mountainous frontier with Pakistan. An ambush on 3 January in the eastern province of Kunar left one U.S. soldier dead and three others wounded.

(AP)