By KUNA,
Kabul : An air strike by the US-led coalition troops killed scores of militants in southeastern Afghanistan close to the border with Pakistan, an Afghan official said on Sunday.
Governor of Khost province Arsala Jamal told media that the air strike was carried out in Spera district of Khost province early this morning.
He said the government had received reports about militant activity in the area. Afghan troops raided the area and clashed with the militants. Support was called from the US-led coalition troops, he noted.
The coalition planes dropped bombs on the Taliban positions which resulted in the killing of at least 50 militants, said the governor. He also said other militants retreated into the Pakistani side of the border.
Separately, the US troops claimed they had killed several militants during an operation in the neighboring province of Paktia.
A statement from the coalition forces’ Bagram Base said a search operation was conducted in Zadran district of the province to arrest militants.
During the search, militants opened fire at the troops, who retaliated and killed several militants. The statement said four more militants were arrested during the operation.