NATO air strike kills 13 Taliban in Afghanistan

Khost, Afghanistan, Apr 28: A NATO air strike has killed 13 Taliban guerrillas in Afghanistan's southeastern province of Khost, officials said today.

The raid was called in after a group of Taliban fighters staged an abortive attack on a government headquarters in Ali Sher district late last night, Khost's governor Arsala Jamal said.

''The Taliban were killed in the bombing while retreating after the attack,'' he told reporters in Khost's town.

A district official said at least five Afghan security forces were wounded in the Taliban attack, part of the spate of rising violence in recent weeks in Afghanistan.

NATO and Taliban could not be immediately contacted for comment.

Last year was the bloodiest in Afghanistan since US-led forces ousted the Taliban in 2001. Violence has been picking up in recent weeks after a winter lull but a major Taliban offensive has yet to materialise.

Reuters>