June 5 (Bloomberg) -- Afghan government forces killed at least 40 Taliban fighters in attacks on three villages in the south of the country, the Associated Press said, citing a district administrator.

The fighting began yesterday at Nimakai, near the town of Spin Boldak on the border with Pakistan, AP cited District Chief Fazaluddin Agha as saying. It spread to the villages of Populzai and Hassanzai, he said.

More than 100 Afghan soldiers are taking part in the operation to clear the villages, he said. Seven government soldiers were killed during the fighting in which the Taliban militiamen used rockets and machine guns, Agha said.

The Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan for six years, had its stronghold in the south of the country. The militia was ousted in December 2001 in the U.S.-led war against terrorism after it refused to close bases of the al-Qaeda terrorist network. Afghanistan in April asked Pakistan to tighten border security after an increase in armed attacks the Afghan government blamed on fugitive Taliban members.

(Associated Press 6-5)

http://wire.ap.org for the AP Web site

Last Updated: June 4, 2003 19:21 EDT