Four US soldiers killed in Afghanistan

KABUL, June 22 (Reuters) Four US soldiers have been killed and one wounded in clashes with Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, the US military said today.

More than 1,000 people have been killed in Afghanistan this year, the worst violence since the 2001 overthrow of the Taliban. The violence has surged as NATO prepares to takes over security duties from US-led forces in the south, the rebel heartland.

The latest clash occurred in the eastern province of Nuristan yesterday.

''Coalition forces attacked enemy extremists in a remote area of the Kamdesh District while conducting security operations to interdict enemy movement through northern Nuristan,'' the US military said.

''During the mission, four US soldiers were killed.'' Coalition aircraft joined the attack but it was not clear how many rebels were killed, the US military said. The wounded soldier was in stable condition.

A Taliban spokesman, Mohammad Hanif, said by telephone from an undisclosed location that two Taliban had been killed in the fighting.

The Taliban are mostly active in eastern and southern parts of Afghanistan, bordering Pakistan, where they enjoy considerable support among the Pashtun tribes living on both sides of the long, porous border.

US-led forces and government troops have stepped up attacks against the Taliban in Nuristan in recent weeks as part of an operation, codenamed Mountain Lion, launched in mid-April.

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