KABUL, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Afghan and foreign forces, while patrolling, were ambushed by Taliban insurgents Friday in southern province of Zabul and the ensuing fighting left three militants killed and two more injured, a local official said.

    The around half-an-hour clash took place in Mizan district of Zabul at 8 a.m. local time, district chief Mohammad Younus Akhunzada told Xinhua via phone. "A Taliban commander Mullah Mohammad Rhain and his two followers were killed."

    The combined force suffered no casualties in the incident, he added.

    Militancy-related violence and conflicts in Afghanistan claimed8,000 lives in 2007, of which nearly one fifth were civilians, according to a latest-released UN figure.

    The Taliban, fighting the Afghan government and foreign troops since its fall from power in 2001, has vowed to intensity their guerrilla-style attacks this year.