Afghans recapture highway near Kabul: Official

Kabul, Apr 19: Afghan government forces have retaken a major road the Taliban seized northeast of Kabul during the heaviest fighting close to the capital since the Islamists were ousted in 2001, an official said today.

Backed by support from the US-led coalition, Afghan forces late today retook the road in Tagab district of Kapisa province, 70 km from Kabul, a defence ministry spokesman said.

There were no casualties among the Afghan troops during the operation near Bagram, the main US base in Afghanistan.

''We have taken back the road and are planning now to launch a cleaning up operation,'' spokesman Zahir Azimi said.

He did not know how many Taliban fighters had dug in in the rugged Tagab valley, but Kapisa's governor believed the militants strength was up to 300 well-equipped fighters.

The Taliban on Tuesday attacked police posts and a government office in Tagab and cut off the highway.

The Taliban could not be contacted immediately for comment.

Violence in Afghanistan surged last year to its worst level since the Taliban's overthrow.

Fighting eased over the winter, as it traditionally does in Afghanistan, but attacks have been picking up over recent weeks with the onset of spring. The Taliban have vowed a spring offensive backed by thousands of suicide bombers.

NATO and US-led forces have launched operations in the south, the rebel heartland, over recent months to thwart the threatened Taliban offensive.

Reuters