Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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August 30, 2007

Afghan Ministry Says Top Taleban Commander Killed in US Raid
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=191BF16:A6F02AD83191E160A9C44E366BB69C019574F7DCC14957C0 Officials say
fighting, which also involved air support, took place early Thursday
in Helmand province



The Afghan defense ministry says a top Taleban commander and several
of his fighters have been killed in clashes with U.S.-led coalition
forces in southern Afghanistan.

The ministry says the fighting, which also involved air support, took
place early Thursday in Helmand province - a known Taleban stronghold.

It identified the dead commander, Mullah Brader, as a relative and
close associate of Taleban chief Mullah Omar.

The U.S. military in Afghanistan has not commented.

Elsewhere in southern Afghanistan, one NATO soldier and an Afghan
interpreter were killed while on patrol in the insurgency-hit southern
part of the country Thursday.

A NATO statement said two other soldiers were wounded. It did not give
details of the incident.



Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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