COALITION FORCES ANNOUNCED FRIDAY THE KILLING OF 40 MILITANTS DURING COMBAT OPERATIONS LINKED TO A LARGE-SCALE ANTI-TALIBAN BLITZ LAUNCHED ACROSS SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN. U.S.-LED WARPLANES AND GROUND FORCES KILLED THE 40 INSURGENTS WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY IN A REMOTE PART OF SOUTHEASTERN PAKTIKA PROVINCE, BORDERING PAKISTAN, SAID LT. COL. PAUL FITZPATRICK. THE OFFENSIVE WAS LAUNCHED IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION MOUNTAIN THRUST, THE LARGEST ANTI-TALIBAN MILITARY CAMPAIGN UNDERTAKEN SINCE THE FORMER REGIME)S 2001 OUSTER IN AN AMERICAN-LED INVASION, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED.
