KABUL, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Air raid carried out by international troops against Taliban militants on Wednesday claimed the lives of 21 militants in Nimroz province of southwestern Afghanistan, said the provincial governor Ghulam Dastgir Azad.

    "It was around 1 p.m. (GMT 0830), acting upon intelligence information, the international forces pounded Taliban militants on three vehicles who were reportedly driving to attack border police checkpoints in Char Borgak area near Pakistan border," Azad told Xinhua.

    There was no casualties on civilians because the incident occurred in a dessert zone, the official further said.

    Taliban militants, whose regime was toppled in a U.S.-led invasion in late 2001, have yet to make comment.