May 18 (Bloomberg) -- Clashes in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province killed at least 25 Taliban members and a Canadian soldier, the coalition military said. Separately, 13 Afghan policemen and 30 Taliban fighters died in violence in Helmand province, the British Broadcasting Corp. said.

In the latest clash in Kandahar early today, coalition forces killed seven Taliban members near the village of Azizi, the military said in an e-mailed statement. As many as 20 more Taliban fighters may have been killed, and three rebel compounds destroyed by air strikes conducted as part of the operation to crack down on Taliban forces, the military said.

Taliban fighters this year have stepped up attacks, especially in the south, where they have also launched a number of suicide attacks. The latest violence comes as the U.S.-led coalition and Afghan National Army expand their operations into the south to hunt for Taliban and al-Qaeda bases.

Today's violence followed an earlier military operation in the Panjway district of Kandahar province that led to the deaths of 18 Taliban fighters and a Canadian soldier, and clashes in neighboring Helmand province that the British Broadcasting Corp. said resulted in the killing of 13 Afghan policemen and about 30 members of the Taliban. Separately, a suicide bomber killed himself and an American in Herat in the west, the BBC said.

In Panjway, the coalition targeted extremists in several villages, capturing 26 Taliban members as well as killing 18, the military said.

Canadian Death

A Canadian soldier, Nichola Kathleen Sarah Goddard, was killed, and three Afghan soldiers were wounded, the military said.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority government yesterday barely won opposition backing to extend the country's military mission in Afghanistan for two more years. A government motion to extend the mission to 2009 was passed by a vote of 149 to 145 following six hours of debate in the House of Commons in Ottawa last night.

The fighting in Helmand began yesterday when Taliban leaders told police they had control of the town of Musa Qula, prompting hours of clashes that ended early today, the BBC said. The coalition last month killed what spokesman U.S. Colonel Jim Yonts described as a ``senior-level Taliban commander'' in the same area.

The U.S. and allied forces currently have more than 21,000 soldiers in Afghanistan. In addition, a separate force formed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has a 9,000-strong contingent that forms the International Security Assistance Force, which controls security in the capital, Kabul.

NATO in July plans to bring in another 6,000 troops, and increase total forces to 21,000 by November. The military alliance is in the process of moving troops down into southern Afghanistan, including Helmand province, where more than 3,000 British soldiers will be based.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: May 18, 2006 08:49 EDT