GARDEZ (PAN): 16 Afghan, Chechenian and Arabian Taliban fighters were killed and two captured in the US-led coalition bombing after a three hour clash with them while attacking a district Monday midnight in the restive Paktia province, officials said.

Syed Karam district chief Agha Muhammad Ahmadzai told Pajhwok Afghan News the militants attacked the district headquarter at approximately 12:30am. The militants had escaped to the mountainside after the retaliatory firing of the police, he added.

The US-led coalition troops were recalled and bombed Usmankhel area of the district where the militants had escaped, said Ahmadzai adding that two Arab militants had been under treatment in the district hospital wounded in the bombing while around 16 Afghan, Chechenian and Arabian militants were eliminated.

The police participating in the overnight firefight received no casualties where district headquarters was damaged, he explained. According to the information of Ahmadzai all the dead bodies of the militants were also rushed to the hospital.

The southeastern zone police spokesman Col. Gul Muhammad Mangal confirmed the overnight clash with militants and casualties inflicted on Taliban and said six rockets and six rifle machineguns were also recovered from the battlefield.

The Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid expressed unawareness about the last night attack. The US-led coalition troops also did not give any information yet.

Frm/ajr