KABUL, Sept 29: US-led troops in Afghanistan captured 15 Taliban militants when they were trapped on the border with Pakistan after attacking a coalition patrol, a US military spokesman said on Wednesday.

Pakistani troops prevented the insurgents from crossing the border near insurgency-hit Shkin district as they were being pursued by coalition forces after a brief gun battle, the spokesman said.

The capture of the militants on Monday was the result of "increased cooperation" by Pakistani troops, who answered a call for assistance from US military headquarters in Afghanistan, said Major Scott Nelson, spokesman for the 18,000-strong coalition force.

"This happened in Shkin. One of our patrols was taken under fire by anti-coalition (forces). They engaged them and pushed them back," Maj Nelson told a regular news conference in Kabul.

"The ACM (anti-coalition militias) continued to move toward the Pakistani border. Our headquarters contacted the Pakistani military and they moved forces up to a blocking position to hold the ACM within Afghanistan," he said.

"They were basically trapped between our forces and Pakistani forces." Maj Nelson was unsure if anyone was killed in the incident. "When air support came in we destroyed one fighting position, one ACM vehicle, I don't have the number of ACM killed but we detained 15 ACM in that incident," he said. -AFP