Kabul: Afghan troops killed 13 Taleban fighters in a gun battle near this volatile border with Pakistan, a military commander said on August 13.

In the gunfight that began late on August 12, two Afghan border policemen were also killed. A group of suspected Taleban fighters attacked government soldiers in Shinki, a village in Khost province about six kilometres from the Pakistan frontier, said an Afghan commander in Khost.

After several hours of fighting, about 50 Afghan troops forced the attackers to retreat. Troops captured two Arabs, though their nationality was not known, the commander said.

Troops also seized a cache of Kalashnikov assault rifles, telephone, radios and ammunition used by the attackers.

ANI