NATO and Afghan forces have killed dozens of Taliban militants in the latest battle for a remote district in central Afghanistan.

Afghan officials say Friday's airstrikes, in the remote Ajristan district of Ghazni province, killed more than 40 militants.  

The fighters took over the Ajristan district on Monday, one in a series of missions targeting remote areas.  Officials say the airstrikes are part of a three-day long campaign to force the militants out.

Afghan officials also said Friday three Taliban militants were killed after they attacked a police checkpoint in southern Helmand province.

The fighting comes as German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier made an unannounced trip to the western city Herat.

Steinmeier is expected to transfer responsibility for rebuilding the city's water-supply infrastructure to Afghan officials.

Germany has pledged more than $1.7 billion for civilian reconstruction projects in Afghanistan through 2010.

Also Friday, Danish officials said a Danish soldier was killed when his tank hit an improvised explosive device.  Denmark has 550 soldiers serving in Helmand province.

Meanwhile, the British Defense Ministry says one of its soldiers was killed during a firefight with militants in Helmand province on Thursday.  Six other British soldiers were injured and a bomb-sniffing dog was killed.

The death brings the total number of British troops killed in Afghanistan to 112.

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