KABUL, Sep. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- The US-led coalition forces and Afghan troops have achieved victory in the first phase of a 10-day engagement with suspected Talibans in Dai Chupan district, southern Zabul province, announced the spokesman for the Bagram-based Coalition Headquarters on Sunday.

　　According to spokesman Colonel Rodney Davis, during the first phase of the operation over 90 Talibans were killed and others evacuated to the mountains north of Dai Chupan.

　　The "Operation Mountain Viper" is a joint mop up operation, launched on August 30 with the objective to root out the remnant of the Taliban from the area, said Davis.

　　Supporters of Taliban, which was ousted from power in late 2001under US-led military campaign, have intensified their attacks against Karzai government and foreign troops in the recent months. 　　

　　Kandahar, the heartland of Taliban and its adjacent provinces of Zabul, Helmand and Uruzgan have been the scenes of skirmishes and bloody cases for the last few months.

　　The remnant of Taliban and their allies Al-Qaeda and supportersof renegade warlord Gulbudin Hekmatyar have been frequently targeting the government and US military installations in southwest Paktia, Paktika and Khost provinces bordering Pakistan.

　　The spokesman said that the operation would not be limited to Dai Chupan or Zabul but would continue to all the southern areas.

　　In a clash taking place on Aug. 25 in Dai Chupan 150 miles northeast of Kandahar, according to David, 19 Taliban were killed and many others injured.

　　Moreover, another 30 suspected Talibans lost their lives duringoperations on Aug. 30, the spokesman added.

　　On it part, Mulla Zabihullah, claimed to be a Taliban spokesman,said that the coalition was attempting to hid its defeat and keep the morale of its demoralized soldiers by launching baseless propaganda.

　　Zabul's security chief Khalil Hotak announced last week that a Taliban group of Mulla Omer's aides including Mawawi Kabir, Mulla Hasan, Mulla Abdurazaq had surrounded.

　　Just before midnight on Sept. 3, said David, enemy forces including a suspected Taliban command were attacked and killed in the Dai Chupan district.

　　Within the last week Afghan National Army forces were establishing checkpoints and conducting security and presence patrols in the Zabul province, said David.

　　According to the spokesman, the operation was going on in the Dai Chupan-centered areas. Enditem