By Xinhua
Kabul : Over 50 Taliban guerrillas were killed in Helmand province of southern Afghanistan during a gunfight that ended early Thursday, a coalition statement said.
During the 12-hour battle in Musa Qala district, the insurgents attacked from 16 separate compounds using heavy machine guns, rocket propelled grenades and small arms, the statement said.
The Afghan and the US-led coalition forces returned fire and called in close air support, it added.
The compounds produced significant secondary explosions, suggesting a large quantity of explosives material was there, said the statement.
"As the battle concluded, more than 50 insurgents were confirmed killed with an unknown number wounded," the statement said, adding 16 Taliban compounds, three motorcycles and five trucks had been destroyed.
Since Sunday, more than 160 insurgents have been killed in the vicinity of Musa Qala, the statement said.
Rising Taliban violence has killed over 3,500 people, mostly guerrillas, in Afghanistan this year.