KABUL, Aug. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Four suspected militants including a senior Taliban commander were killed in southern Kandahar province last week, US military spokesman said Monday.

    "Afghan National Army (ANA) and coalition forces killed a senior Taliban commander, Painda Mohammad, and three others near Kandahar on Aug. 24," James Yonts told journalists at a press briefing.

    Fifteen more suspected insurgents were wounded during the operation, according to the spokesman.

    "Painda Mohammad commanded more than 150 Taliban forces throughout Uruzgan province. He was known for conducting rocket attacks, ambushes, guerrilla-style attacks and setting up illegal check points along the roads leading to Tarin Kowt," Yonts noted.

    However, he said, no US and Afghan forces were killed during the clean-up operation backed by A-10 warplanes and attack helicopters.

    He gave no more details. However, he admitted that one US soldier and one Afghan trooper were killed and four ANA soldiers were wounded in eastern Kunar province last week.

    Kandahar and Uruzgan, the former stronghold of Taliban, and south Afghanistan and Kuner in east of the country have been the scene of increasing skirmishes between militants and US-backed Afghan troops over the past three months.

    Three US soldiers were wounded when their convoy came under attack in Sarobi district 60 km east of the Afghan capital the other day.

    Over 1,000, mostly militants, have been killed in the post-war Afghanistan since early this year. Enditem