NATO troops clears insurgents in Kajaki area in Afghanistan

Kabul, Feb 13 (UNI) NATO-led ISAF troops claimed to have cleared the Kajaki area in Helmund province of the foreign insurgents, following a 12-hour operation with the help of the Afghan National Army.

The ISAF said the operations involving more than 300 ISAF troops was part of an ongoing operation to clear a safe zone around the Kajaki dam.

Work on the dam has stopped because of the presence of a large number of militants. The dam is expected to bring electricity to 1.8 million Afghans once is it completed.

The ISAF troops have been based in the area for the past six weeks carrying out operations, a statement from ISAF said. 25 enemy compounds were reportedly cleared last week in ''Operation Volcano'' and ''Operation Kryptonite'' on Sunday cleared the areas of Shomali Ghulbah and Chinah north west of Kajaki.

The ISAF said 60 compounds had been cleared.

Reports from the southern province of Helmund had suggested that a large number of anti-government insurgents of foreign origin had entered the province.

Meanwhile, the Governor of Helmund province Asadullah Wafa had said 700 al-Qaeda militants of foreign origin, including Chechens, Arabs, Uzbeks and Punjabis, had entered the province of Helmund. He claimed they had entered in order to disrupt law and order situation and hamper work on the development projects.

UNI