KABUL, March 28: Fifty Al Qaeda fighters have been killed in the eastern Afghanistan province of Paktika in an operation conducted by US-led coalition forces and Afghan soldiers from the interim defence ministry, Kabul Radio announced late Thursday.

The public Afghan radio, quoting a representative of the Afghan defence ministry, said planes had backed up ground troops in the assault.

Radio Kabul did not specify when the fighting took place but suggested it occurred in the border province’s district of Neka.

Paktika borders Pakistan and lies just south of Paktia province where coalition and Afghan soldiers conducted the 17-day Operation Anaconda offensive against diehard Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters earlier this month.—AFP