The NATO force in Afghanistan said on Friday that its soldiers and warplanes had killed 12 Taliban in a battle in the south while a “known terrorist” was arrested in a separate raid. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement that the battle, which had occurred in Zabul province on Tuesday, kicked off when 30 militants attacked a joint ISAF-Afghan patrol with gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades. The military struck back with heavy-weapons fire and close air support, the statement said, while confirming that an ISAF soldier had sustained injuries. Most foreign soldiers in Zabul are United States nationals. ‘Known terrorist’ arrested: In a separate incident, the US-led coalition, which works alongside ISAF, announced that it had arrested on Friday a “known terrorist” and seven other people whom were suspected of “aiding terrorist fighters and facilitating terrorist operations” in Paktika province.
Allied convoy under fire: Meanwhile on Friday, witnesses said that a convoy carrying western troops was struck by at least three blasts as it passed through the Taliban-riddled Uruzgan province in the south of the country, where both NATO and US troops operate. However, residents said that they did not know whether there were any casualties or what had caused the blasts on a road in the provincial capital of Tirin Kot.