KABUL, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Clashes between Afghan security forces and
militants killed 20 suspected insurgents and injured 14others in Afghanistan's
western Farah province Friday, an official said Saturday.
"The militants attempted to ambush security forces in Balablock district of
Farah province yesterday but Afghan troops with the support of international
force beat them back, leaving 20 dead and injuring 14 others," Abdul Rauf
Ahmadi, the spokesman of police in western region, told Xinhua.
He also said that Arab nationals are seen among the dead.
There were no casualties on Afghan and international troops.
However, he admitted that a tank of international forces was lightly
damaged.
Nevertheless, he did not identify if the troops belonged to NATO or the
U.S.-led Coalition forces.
Meanwhile, one Afghan child was killed and two others were wounded when
insurgents attacked the NATO soldiers in eastern Afghan province of Kunar on
Friday, said a statement released hereon Saturday.
Insurgents attacked the soldiers with the NATO-led International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) and surrounded civilian areas in the Pech district of
Kunar province, the statement said.
This is the second attack in this area during the past two weeks in which
insurgents have killed Afghan children, it said.
No ISAF forces were harmed in the attack, it added.
Afghanistan has been the scene of increasing insurgency led by Taliban
militants in terms of suicide bombings and ambushes though a 70,000-strong
foreign troops are deployed.
Conflicts and Taliban-led insurgency have left more than 2,500 people
including over 700 civilians so far this year in the war-torn country.