Afghanistan's US-led force says kills 30 Taliban

KABUL, July 11 (Reuters) US -led forces in Afghanistan today killed about 30 militants in fighting in a southern district, the latest clash in the most intense phase of Taliban violence since the Islamists were ousted from power in 2001.

The clash, in the Sangin district of Helmand province, came as US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit.

Rumsfeld, on his 11th trip to Afghanistan, was set to met US commanders and President Hamid Karzai to discuss the violence and plans for NATO to take over military operations from a US-led force in the south this month.

Coalition and Afghan government troops suffered no casualties in the joint operation in Sangin, which is one of the most violent parts of the violent Afghan south, said the spokeswoman, Lieutenant Tamara Lawrence.

''Early this morning, a joint Afghan-coalition raid resulted in the death of an estimated 30 extremist fighters,'' Lawrence said.

The violence nearly five years after the Taliban were ousted has taken the government and its Western backers by surprise and raised concern for the NATO peacekeeping mission that is due to take over in the south.

The US-led coalition has responded to the violence with offensives to push the insurgents back. Hundreds of people, most of them Taliban, have been killed in the past two months, according to US and Afghan figures.

Lawrence also said a coalition helicopter developed a mechanical fault during today's operation and had to make a hard landing.

''We destroyed the helicopter in place because it was determined it couldn't be repaired,'' she said. She did not say what type of helicopter it was or which member of the coalition force it belonged to.

''WE WILL ATTACK'' Britain yesterday announced it would send 900 more troops and additional helicopters to Helmand where British troops have faced fierce Taliban resistance.

Six British soldiers have been killed in Helmand's Sangin district in the past month. In all, more than 60 foreign soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan this year.

The Taliban said the British reinforcements would have a torrid time.

''We will greet more British troops in Helmand with fresh attacks,'' Taliban commander Mullah Hayat Khan told Reuters by telephone.

''We'll attack the British troops with such ferocity they will flee,'' he said.

The British reinforcements will arrive over coming months, bringing the total to 4,500 in the south. A thousand more British troops are based at NATO headquarters in Kabul.

British colonial forces suffered heavy defeats in Afghanistan in the 19th century when Britain tried to win over Afghanistan's tribes and make their lands a protective buffer against perceived Russian designs on British India.

Khan said foreign troops in Afghanistan were suffering heavy losses.

''We are already causing British troops losses in lives and equipment every day in Helmand,'' Khan said. ''The increase in British troops means we will have more British targets.'' ''Our suicide bombers are searching for targets every day,'' he said.

The Taliban were ousted after refusing to hand over Osama bin Laden. They are fighting to expel foreign troops and defeat the Western-backed government.

REUTERS SB VA RK1224