19 more killed in fresh Afghan violence

Taliban fighters ambushed a police patrol in southern Afghanistan, killing three police but leaving 12 militants dead, officials said. Also Tuesday, three health workers and their driver were killed by a land mine near the capital.

The deaths brought to 305 the number of people killed in fighting during the last week. Most of the dead were militants. It's the deadliest spate of fighting in four years and comes ahead of preparations for the US-led coalition to hand over security operations in southern Afghanistan to Nato by July.