The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Kabul

Three Polish soldiers and more than 30 militants were killed in Afghanistan, military forces said Thursday, in the latest in weeks of intense attacks that have raised concern about deteriorating security.

The rebels were killed Wednesday after air strikes were called in to respond to an attack on troops operating in Laghman province, which adjoins the Sarobi area where 10 French soldiers died on Monday, the US-led coalition said.

The force said it had only struck after civilians had left the area and there were no casualties among civilians, although an Afghan doctor said at least one child had died and around 20 other villagers were wounded. "During the operation, more than 30 militants were killed and a large cache of mortar rounds and IED (improvised explosive device) materials were destroyed by the commandos," the coalition said in a statement.

The strikes were called when the area was clear of women and children after about 200 civilians were seen fleeing, and there were no civilian casualties, the statement said.

A doctor in the Laghman capital, Mihtarlam, said a child died en route to hospital and the body was in the facility.

About 20 wounded people were treated in the hospital including an elderly man, four children and eight women, surgeon Asadullah Rauf told AFP. The other wounded were adult males, he said.

The coalition said the operation in Laghman was based on "information gathered following a recent attack by militants on International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) in that area," it said in a statement.