The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan says more than 50 suspected Taleban insurgents have been killed in two days of fighting in the south.

U.S. and Afghan forces called for air support on Sunday after Islamist fighters ambushed a military patrol with a suicide car bomb in Helmand province, the heartland of Afghanistan's poppy growing region.

A statement from the U.S. military says coalition aircraft dropped four bombs to destroy enemy compounds. It also said insurgents tried and failed to shoot down a coalition aircraft.

Elsewhere, six NATO soldiers lost their lives in separate incidents in the south and east. Four were killed while on combat patrol in the east when a roadside bomb exploded. A Norwegian soldier died in central Lowgar province and a sixth NATO soldier was killed in the south.

Also, the Afghan interior ministry said Monday that 14 suspected Taleban were killed during battles on Sunday in southern Zabul province.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.