Up To 20 Taliban Dead In Clash With NATO Forces

As many as 20 Taliban insurgents were killed Thursday in a clash with NATO and Afghan troops near Kandahar, an alliance spokesman said. There were no casualties among NATO or Afghan forces. Squadron Leader Jason Chalk said about 60 rebels attacked a joint NATO and Afghan patrol in Panjwaii district, where Canadian forces are deployed. The nationality of the NATO soldiers on the patrol was not disclosed.Chalk said the patrolling soldiers returned fire and called in air strikes on insurgent positions. Last month, Canadian and other NATO forces launched a major two-week operation against the Taliban in the Panjwaii district. The British commander of NATO in Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. David Richards, later said the operation had been a "major success" with more than 500 rebels killed and 130 captured.