Afghanistan: British troops kill five Taliban

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
British troops have killed five suspected Taliban operatives in southern Afghanistan, Britain's Ministry of Defense said Sunday. The ministry said the deaths occurred during a "cordon and search operation" to seek evidence of Taliban activity in restive Helmand province. "There have been contacts between UK forces and Taliban," a spokesman said on the civil service's customary condition of anonymity. "Five Taliban have been killed and two detained." No British troops were injured, the ministry said. No other details of the operation were released. More than 3,000 British troops are operating in former Taliban strongholds across southern Afghanistan, including Helmand, as part of a NATO-led force.