30 dead in fresh Afghan violence

KANDAHAR (Afghanistan): There will likely be further significant fighting in southern Afghanistan in the coming months, the US-led coalition said on Wednesday as 30 people, mostly Taliban, were killed in fresh violence.

The rebels were operating in larger groups and 'fighting hard' against security forces penetrating new areas, coalition spokesman Colonel Tom Collins told reporters in Kabul.

The past weeks have seen some of the biggest battles in Afghanistan since the Taliban were removed from power by a US-led coalition in late 2001 for sheltering the Al-Qaeda terror network.

The surge in violence coincided with the launch of the biggest yet coalition and Afghan operation in the south, Mountain Thrust.

The operation had resulted in the killing of more than 90 militants since it kicked off in mid-May in four southern provinces, Collins said.

"People should expect significant fighting in certain areas of the south over the coming months," he said.

"Clearly the enemy is resisting the coalition and the Afghan National Army's efforts in the areas that they haven't previously operated in," he said.

"We're seeing the enemy operate in larger groups. They're fighting hard, they're clearly trying to stop our efforts to move into certain areas."

Mountain Thrust involves thousands of coalition troops, mainly Americans, British and Canadians, and Afghan forces and is being conducted in southern Kandahar province -- the birthplace of the Taliban -- and Helmand, Uruzgan and Zabul.