Kabul: The US-led and Afghan troops killed several insurgent fighters in a series of operations across Afghanistan over the weekend, including one targeted at bombmakers, the forces said today.

Another eight militants were killed in the operations against "anti-government militants" in southern and eastern Afghanistan, the US-led coalition said in a statement.

Operations in Khost province on the eastern border with Pakistan were aimed at people involved in a bombing that killed at least two people earlier this year and the kidnapping and murder of another in December, it said.

"During the course of the operation, several armed militants were killed when they attacked the joint force," it said. Eight people were arrested, including the head of the cell, and various weapons seized.

Separately, soldiers in the southernmost district of Garmser were "threatened" by militants during a search for Taliban insurgents linked to foreign rebels and weapons smuggling, it said.

Coalition forces responded with fire, killing several men, it said.

The US-led coalition, which focuses on rounding up rebel fighters, does not give the numbers of rebels it kills, saying it wants to avoid a "body count" in its operations in Afghanistan.

The Afghan army announced separately its soldiers, working with NATO troops, had killed seven Taliban in two separate raids in eastern Paktia province, army spokesman Mohammad Gul said.
Source : PTI