(KUNA) -- NATO forces killed 23 Taliban fighters in two separate operations in southern Afghanistan as the alliance's member countries pledged assistance for people affected during a two-week Operation Medusa, which concluded last week. A NATO statement released here on Sunday said 20 Taliban fighters attacked NATO troops in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand on Saturday. The NATO forces called close air support and the bombing resulted in killing of 15 attackers. The statement said the NATO forces remained unhurt.In a separate statement released the same day, the military said NATO helicopters dropped a bomb at a group of Taliban in the same region killing eight militants. The statement did not disclose the exact location. Taliban did not issue any comment on the statements made by the NATO forces; however, the militia's purported spokesman Dr Hanif said they had killed five Afghan policemen following an attack at their post in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province. His claim was neither admitted nor rejected by the Afghan officials. Spokesman for police in the province, Colonel Ghafoor said they did not know about any such attack. Meanwhile, the NATO member countries have provided emergency help for people of areas in southern Afghanistan, who have been displaced from their houses and suffered damage during Operation Medusa which concluded last week.
The operation was carried out in two districts of Zerai and Panjwayee of Kandahar province following mounting attacks by Taliban fighters on Afghan and foreign forces in those areas. A statement released from the office of NATO's civilian representative here said Germany had pledged one million euros of immediate assistance to the people of Kandahar province who had to leave their homes before and during fighting linked to Operation Medusa. ISAF had dropped leaflets and consulted tribal elders to warn local people of the impending operation and thousands of people left the area during the fighting in which insurgents were successfully expelled, said the statement. Now, as local people prepare to return, the NATO senior civilian representative in Kabul ambassador Daan Everts, held talks with ambassadors from NATO nations to urge extra assistance for those who have suffered as a result of the fighting. Germany has offered one million euros for immediate assistance, with the possibility of the sum rising to three million euros, said the statement.