KABUL, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Taliban claims on Monday that NATO troops are completely lying about high Taliban fatalities in Operation Medusa in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan, while a spokesman for the troops insists that they are giving credible information.

    NATO troops have given the wrong number of Taliban deaths to increase their soldiers' morale as they have feared fighting, according to a statement by the Taliban's High Council, the group's commanding body.

    The statement said when the troops claimed many Taliban militants were killed, they should give evidence and ask journalists to take pictures or film, but they haven't done it at all.

    The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said over 520 Taliban insurgents have been killed and at least 80 captured in the latest operation, which was launched by 2,000 ISAF and Afghan forces on Sept. 2 to wipe out militants in Panjwai and Zhari districts in Kandahar province.

    The Taliban statement totally disputed Taliban casualties issued by ISAF, saying only several Taliban fighters have been killed.

    However, Maj. Luke Knittig, an ISAF spokesman, told Xinhua on Monday that the number released by ISAF is credible and authentic, as it deliberately comes from battlefields, reports of soldiers and other channels.

    ISAF has tried to get the most accurate number of Taliban casualties, and has no intention to exaggerate it at all, he added.

    "We never deny the media's access to battlefields, as some journalists are embedding with the troops in the operation," Knittig said, adding that their reports prove ISAF giving true information.

    The Taliban statement asked the media to keep a balance in reporting the operation and Taliban casualties.

    It complained the media always make NATO quotation the main part of the story, while Taliban statements are always in the margin.

    The statement also claimed many civilians were killed in Operation Medusa.

    However, Mark Laity, the spokesman for NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan, said on Sunday that "We are unaware of civilian casualties. Maybe very few civilians have been killed."

    A senior Taliban commander, Mullah Dadullah, claimed about a week ago that ISAF totally told lies about developments in Operation Medusa.

    He also warned that the Taliban would target those journalists who released wrong reports. Enditem