NATO, Taliban clash northeast of Afghan capital

KABUL, Nov 4 (Reuters) NATO troops fought suspected Taliban insurgents northeast of Kabul today, Afghan and NATO officials said, in the first major encounter in the area since the strict Islamist group's government was ousted in 2001.

NATO officials said the clash in the Tagab valley, 70 km (45 miles) from the capital, erupted after an alliance convoy was attacked while hunting insurgents in the area, just east of the main US base at Bagram airfield.

No further details were immediately available.

Speaking from a secret location, a Taliban spokesman said militants destroyed several NATO vehicles in the twisting valley, where rebel activity has picked up in recent weeks for the first time since a US-led coalition overthrew the Taliban.

NATO officials did not confirm the Taliban report.

NATO planes were called in to support the ground troops at the height of the fighting, which continued as evening fell.

Fighting across Afghanistan is the worst since the Taliban government was overthrown. More than 3,100 people, about a third of them civilians, have been killed so far this year.

NATO assumed full command of Afghanistan's security from the US-led coalition last month, the biggest operation in its history.

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