WASHINGTON, Sept 15: At least 15 Taliban guerrillas were killed in a clash with US forces in southern Afghanistan, the US Central Command said on Monday.

“Fifteen anti-coalition personnel were killed by coalition aircraft in the past 24 hours. The coalition continues Operation Mountain Viper to destroy the Taliban’s ability to operate in the southern region of Afghanistan,” said an official US announcement.

It said the official Afghan militia coordinated with the US forces in the engagement in Maruf district of the Kandahar province. The ground forces received support from the “coalition aircraft,” the official note said.

“There were no reported coalition casualties or damage to equipment,” it added.

Afghan officials told reporters in Kabul that a senior Taliban commander, Mullah Abdur Rahim, was also killed in the clash. Taliban sources, however, have denied the report saying that Mullah Rahim was still alive.

Afghan officials said the Taliban fighters, killed in the Sunday night clash, had come from the Zabul province, which borders Kandahar and is a Taliban stronghold.

Agencies add: Rahim has been suffering from wounds sustained earlier in the year in a clash with Afghan forces in Spin Boldak, and a deputy was appointed to assist him by the elusive fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Omar.