June 30, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-us-Sani 25, 1429

KABUL, June 29: A British soldier with Nato forces was killed on Sunday in southern Afghanistan, officials said, as 12 policemen and 10 Taliban rebels died in different incidents elsewhere in the war-wracked country.

The violence comes as rebels loyal to the ousted Taliban militia have stepped up attacks in recent weeks, turning June into the deadliest month for the 70,000-strong international force based in Afghanistan since 2001.

“An ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) soldier died in an explosion while on a security patrol with an Afghan National Army unit,” the alliance force said in a statement earlier Sunday in Kabul.

The British defence ministry in London said the soldier was part of a checkpoint team that had gone to investigate reports of a rocket-propelled grenade attack on a civilian aircraft at the airport.

His death took to 109 the number of foreign soldiers killed here this year.

In a separate incident, about 150 militants stormed a government building in southwestern Farah province early Sunday, killing four police and losing seven of their own fighters, deputy provincial governor, Mohammad Younus Rasouli said.

Five other officers and three rebels were injured in the clashes, which started shortly after midnight.

Separately, Afghan security forces backed by international troops launched an offensive against Taliban militants in Wardak province early Sunday, Mohammad Aleem Kohstani, a regional police commander said.—AFP