Taleban 'in police uniform' ploy
American special forces and Afghan troops have killed three Taleban insurgents who attacked them disguised as policemen, the US military says.
They say the incident happened when a joint patrol of US and Afghan forces came under small arms fire in the Shindand district of Herat province.
They say that the Taleban established a checkpoint there on Wednesday.
In separate fighting in the south, US and Afghan forces say they killed 24 Taleban militants in Helmand province.
There has been no independent confirmation of the casualty figures.
'Terrorise locals'
US officials say that no Afghan civilians were injured during the fire fight in Shindand, in which they say three other Taleban members were wounded.
There has been no independent confirmation of the incident.
Over the past two days US and Afghan forces say that they have confiscated at least 100 fake Afghan National Police (ANP) uniforms, in addition to recovering more than a dozen false personnel identification documents in Herat province.
They say that over the last fortnight there have been "multiple reports" of Taleban fighters impersonating ANP officers and establishing illegal check points to kidnap and terrorise local Afghan civilians.
"Taleban fighters are attempting to discredit the Afghan National Police force," said Maj Christopher Belcher of the US army.
'Ambush positions'
US special forces and Afghan soldiers say that the fighting in the Sangin district of Helmand lasted seven hours, and involved air strikes.
They say that two coalition soldiers were wounded during the overnight clash, which took place in an area that coalition forces seized back from insurgent control a fortnight ago.
Four rebel vehicles were destroyed in the battle, a coalition statement said.
"After manoeuvring to gain contact with the enemy force, US special forces requested coalition air support to engage the Taleban fighters as they were attempting to establish ambush positions.
"Approximately 24 Taleban fighters were killed and four vehicles destroyed during the prolonged seven-hour battle."
In other fighting late on Wednesday, government forces say that they and coalition forces have retaken a strategically important road seized by the Taleban north-east of Kabul.
BBC NEWS | South Asia | Taleban 'in police uniform' ploy
American special forces and Afghan troops have killed three Taleban insurgents who attacked them disguised as policemen, the US military says.
They say the incident happened when a joint patrol of US and Afghan forces came under small arms fire in the Shindand district of Herat province.
They say that the Taleban established a checkpoint there on Wednesday.
In separate fighting in the south, US and Afghan forces say they killed 24 Taleban militants in Helmand province.
There has been no independent confirmation of the casualty figures.
'Terrorise locals'
US officials say that no Afghan civilians were injured during the fire fight in Shindand, in which they say three other Taleban members were wounded.
There has been no independent confirmation of the incident.
Over the past two days US and Afghan forces say that they have confiscated at least 100 fake Afghan National Police (ANP) uniforms, in addition to recovering more than a dozen false personnel identification documents in Herat province.
They say that over the last fortnight there have been "multiple reports" of Taleban fighters impersonating ANP officers and establishing illegal check points to kidnap and terrorise local Afghan civilians.
"Taleban fighters are attempting to discredit the Afghan National Police force," said Maj Christopher Belcher of the US army.
'Ambush positions'
US special forces and Afghan soldiers say that the fighting in the Sangin district of Helmand lasted seven hours, and involved air strikes.
They say that two coalition soldiers were wounded during the overnight clash, which took place in an area that coalition forces seized back from insurgent control a fortnight ago.
Four rebel vehicles were destroyed in the battle, a coalition statement said.
"After manoeuvring to gain contact with the enemy force, US special forces requested coalition air support to engage the Taleban fighters as they were attempting to establish ambush positions.
"Approximately 24 Taleban fighters were killed and four vehicles destroyed during the prolonged seven-hour battle."
In other fighting late on Wednesday, government forces say that they and coalition forces have retaken a strategically important road seized by the Taleban north-east of Kabul.
BBC NEWS | South Asia | Taleban 'in police uniform' ploy
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