The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Kandahar

Afghan and NATO-led forces cleared out Taliban militants from the outskirts of Kandahar city on Thursday, killing or wounding hundreds of the insurgents, the provincial governor said.

But a spokesman for NATO's Afghan force was more cautious, saying he could not confirm that hundreds of Taliban who infiltrated into the Arghandab district of orchards and farms had been driven out.

Kandahar provincial governor Assadullah Khalid told a news conference the district just to the northwest of Kandahar city was clear.

"The Taliban have been cleared totally from Arghandab district," Khalid said.