KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan and coalition troops killed about 45 insurgents in attacks on Taliban camps in southern Afghanistan as U.S.-led forces pressed on with their largest offensive since 2001, military officials said Saturday.
About 85 suspected militants have been killed in the past week as about 10,000 U.S.-led troops spread out over four southern provinces in the campaign aimed at quelling a Taliban resurgence.
An estimated 40 fighters were killed Friday when coalition forces surprised militants as they gathered at a camp in Khod Valley in Uruzgan province, the military said.
Among those killed were financiers, members of a bomb-making cell and leaders in the area responsible for attacks against Afghan civilians and the army, the military said.
Afghan and coalition forces also raided a Taliban compound near Tirin Kot, the capital of Uruzgan, killing five insurgents, the military said. Troops also seized about eight pounds of opium.
One U.S. soldier was wounded in the raid. He was later listed in stable condition.
Two coalition soldiers were killed Friday in eastern Kunar province by a roadside bomb as they conducted a security sweep of the area, the military said. The soldiers’ nationalities were not released.
Early last week, coalition forces said they killed an estimated 40 militants in a remote, mountainous area of southeastern Paktika province in operations supporting Mountain Thrust. One coalition member was wounded.
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