Taliban ambush Afghan police, five killed

GHAZNI, Afghanistan, May 26 (Reuters) Three Taliban militants and two policemen were killed in a clash in southwestern Afghanistan today, a provincial official said.

The clash erupted after guerrillas ambushed a convoy of police in Ghazni province, southwest of the capital Kabul.

''The clash lasted for several hours. We have reports of at least three Taliban and two police deaths,'' said Abdul Wakil Kamiyab, a senior police official.

He did not have further details.

Afghanistan is witnessing its worst spell of violence since US and Afghan opposition forces ousted the Taliban in late 2001 after they refused to hand over Osama bin Laden.

Nearly 300 people have been killed in a series of battles, ambushes and bombings since last week, according to the US military and Afghan officials.

Most of the dead were militants but dozens of Afghan police, soldiers and civilians have also been killed, along with four foreign soldiers.

The Taliban and their Islamic allies, fighting to oust foreign forces and defeat the government, mostly operate in the south and eastern parts of Afghanistan.

REUTERS SI BST2151