KABUL, Sept. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- At least 12 insurgents were killed and nine detained by Afghan and the US-led Coalition forces in southern Afghanistan, said the coalition Tuesday.

    On Monday, the forces were conducting operational patrols in their staging areas to prevent operations by rebels designed to influence or disrupt the election process in the Zabul province, the coalition said in a news release.

    Thr forces received small-arms fire from an unknown number of insurgents as they were inserted by helicopters into the area.

    Coalition fixed wing and attack helicopters provided close air support to forces on the ground.

    "We were engaged as soon as we got off the helicopters. We returned fire, and the enemy fell, one by one," Sergeant Major Bradley Meyers of the 503rd Infantry was quoted as saying.

    The initial battle damage assessment found various materials used for making improvised explosive devices.

    There were no Afghan or Coalition casualties from the operation.

    Earlier this week, at least 13 suspected Taliban fighters had been killed and 40 arrested during a joint operation launched by Afghan and coalition troops in the southern Kandahar province.

    Taliban militants, who vowed to derail the upcoming historic parliamentary elections, slaughtered at least 16 people, includinga British engineer and a candidate, in Kandahar, Zabul and other southern provinces in the past couple days. Enditem