KABUL -Coalition soldiers killed five suspected militants in restive eastern Afghanistan as the US-led force pushed on with its biggest operation this year, the military said Tuesday. The rebels were killed Monday in Kunar province, where hundreds of foreign troops backed by more than 1,000 Afghan soldiers have been hunting militants since last Wednesday as part of “Operation Mountain Lion”, it said.“Coalition forces continued to improve security in Kunar Province late yesterday, killing five terrorists after a patrol spotted seven enemy fighters maneuvering in the open west of Asadabad,” the military said in a statement.
Asadabad is the capital of Kunar. The death of another nine insurgents in the operation has previously been reported by coalition and Afghan forces.
As part of the same offensive seven civilians were killed during a firefight between coalition forces and insurgents on Saturday. Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the coalition have both ordered an investigation.