U.S., Afghan Forces Strike At Taliban Militants

11 April 2005 -- U.S. and Afghan government troops launched strikes on remnant Taliban forces in eastern Afghanistan today, killing at least 11 of the movement's fighters.
Taliban forces fired on the vehicle of the former Khost province military commander Kheyal Baaz Khan Sherzai as he was traveling in the neighboring Paktia Province.

Local security commander Ghulam Nabi Salem said Afghan government troops chased the Taliban attackers into the nearby mountains and fighting started that lasted several hours.

Afghan government forces called in U.S. warplanes that launched attacks on the Taliban fighters.

Local Afghan officials said at least 11 Taliban were killed but the U.S. military said it did not know how many fighters were killed.

(AFP/Reuters/dpa)