Two coalition troops, 45 Taliban killed in clash

KABUL, June 25 (Reuters) Around 45 Taliban insurgents and two US-led coalition soldiers have been killed in a clash in southern Afghanistan, the US military said today.

The clash erupted after coalition forces engaged a group of eight to 10 Taliban in Panjwai district of Kandahar province yesterday.

''The enemy fighters attempted to flee the area, but then joined other reinforcements in a nearby compound,'' a spokesman for the US military said in a statement.

''Afghan and coalition forces pressed the attack with joint fires and a ground assault, killing an estimated 45 extremists in the firefight.'' It said two coalition soldiers were also killed and another wounded in the battle but did not give their identity.

The latest killings brought the reported death toll of the rebels to close to 150 over the past four days.

The Taliban were not immediately available for comment.

The US-led coalition have launched a major offensive, codenamed ''Operation Mountain Thrust'' to press deep into southern Afghanistan ahead of NATO taking over the volatile region from the United States.

The Taliban, ousted from power by the US-led forces in 2001, have stepped up attacks in recent weeks in the region where they enjoy considerable support from the local population.

Local politicians have recently voiced concern over the deteriorating security situation in the south despite the presence of foreign forces, saying rebels are expanding their influence in several parts of the restive region.

President Hamid Karzai earlier this week also expressed concern over mounting militant violence in the country in which more than 1,100 people, including more than 40 foreign soldiers, have died this year.

REUTERS SRS VV1337