02 January 2004	Friday	09 Ziqa'ad 1424

KABUL, Jan 1: US-led coalition troops killed 14 Taliban suspects in Afghanistan's southeastern province of Paktika, while three of their soldiers were wounded during the armed clashes, authorities said on Thursday.

US spokesman Lt Col Bryan Hilferty told reporters in Kabul that on Wednesday, a small number of anti-coalition forces fired on a routine coalition patrol in northeast of Shkin, a district of Paktika province.

"We returned fire and the attackers fled. However, the patrol pursued and made contact again, killing three anti-coalition militia," Hilferty said, adding that three US soldiers were also wounded.

Two of the US injured soldiers immediately returned to duty and the third was evacuated and is in stable condition, according to Hilferty. Later in the afternoon, the same US patrol with helicopter support engaged the enemy in the same area and killed 11 anti-coalition forces during the second armed clash.-DPA