U.S.-led coalition and Afghan forces clashed with Taliban fighters and called in an air strike in southern Afghanistan, leaving 24 suspected militants dead, while three more died in an ambush in the west, the coalition said Thursday. The joint forces battled Taliban fighters for seven hours after they were ambushed while patrolling Wednesday in the volatile Sangin district of Helmand province, a coalition statement said. Acting on intelligence of militant activity involving 40 Taliban, coalition forces then called an air strike, the statement said. The battle left 24 militants dead, while two coalition soldiers suffered minor injuries and are in a stable condition, it was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
