21 killed in Afghan fighting

The battle occurred yesterday in Dehchopan district of Zabul province, the US military said in a statement. It said US helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft were used against a group of about 25 insurgents and that the casualty figures were still preliminary.

A village leader with suspected links to the Taliban and six other attackers were detained by US forces, the statement added. One insurgent was also wounded during the battle, it said.

The firefight was one of the biggest since militants from the Islamic regime, which was ousted by a US-led coalition in late 2001, began a renewed offensive coinciding with the end of winter in Afghanistan.

The US military said the rebels launched an unprovoked attack after an Afghan man led local police to a place where he said he had been beaten by a group of unknown individuals.

"Afghan National Army forces and US soldiers operating in the area quickly moved to the site and cordoned off the insurgent forces by use of small-arms fire and support from coalition fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft," the statement added.

"Initial reports indicate approximately 20 insurgents were killed and one wounded."