KABUL, Sept 24: Dozens of Taliban insurgents have been killed in the latest clashes in Afghanistan. The Afghan defence ministry said 40 insurgents were killed in a battle with Afghan and Nato forces in the southern province of Helmand on Saturday.

“An enemy base was totally destroyed,” the ministry said on Sunday of the fighting in the province’s Girishk district.

The Nato-led force said on Sunday 23 insurgents were killed in two clashes in other parts of the province over recent days.

Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment but the insurgents, fighting to oust foreign forces, routinely deny the extent of losses reported by the government and foreign forces.—Reuters