KABUL, May 24 (Xinhua) -- A joint operation of Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces killed 24 suspected militants loyal to the former Taliban regime in southern Uruzgan province Tuesday, a press release of the U.S. army said Wednesday.

    "Afghan National Army and Coalition forces battled anti-coalition members for six hours in the Tarin Kowt District of Uruzgan Province Tuesday evening. Twenty-four enemy fighters were killed during the fierce fighting," the press release added.

    Four Afghan soldiers and one Afghan police were also killed and six other Afghan soldiers and three Afghan police were wounded in the gun battle, the release noted.

    Earlier, General Rahmatullah Raufi, the Corps commander of Afghan army in the southern region, put the number of militants as high as 60, a claim rejected by Taliban.

    Taliban said that their fighters murdered a man named Assadullah on charge of spying for the American forces in Greshk district of the neighboring Helmand province on Wednesday.

    Over 300 people including five foreign soldiers have lost their lives in Taliban-linked militancy over the past one-week. Enditem