U.S. led coalition forces in Afghanistan killed 22 Taliban fighters including two commanders Tuesday in a string of operations across the east and south of the country following U.S. military controlled explosions which spread alarm in Kabul.In two separate raids, one Taliban commander was killed in southern Kandahar province and two more insurgents were killed in neighboring Zabul province, the U.S. military said. The military did not say whether there were any casualties among the foreign troops. The Taliban could not be reached for comment and Reuters was unable to verify the military's accounts.
Eighteen fighters and a Taliban commander, Mullah Patang, were killed on Monday in the deadliest single operation at Kapisa, in the Tagab Valley, around 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Kabul, said a spokesman, adding that ground troops called in air strikes during the raid. Coalition troops detained eight suspected militants during the operation, it said. U.S.-led forces accused Patang of being responsible for numerous attacks on civilians and coalition forces, and acting on orders from senior Taliban leaders in Afghanistan and abroad.