An Afghan warlord fought his way to within sight of the outskirts of a key regional capital Tuesday, prompting the U.S. military to send warplanes on patrol over western Afghanistan, officials said. Fighters loyal to Amanullah, a Pashtun militia leader, pushed Herat Gov. Ismail Khan's troops to within 30 kilometers (20 miles) of Herat city, officials from both sides said. The officials reported that three fighters were killed and seven injured since fighting flared anew on Monday, bringing the death toll so far to 25. Abdul Karim Afghan, a commander and spokesman for Amanullah, said his men had captured Adraskan district and had paused in a mountainous area called Khak-e Shabed. "We can see the city from here," Afghan told The Associated Press. "If the federal government allows us, we can take it."
