At Least 47 Militants Killed in Afghanistan

U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan say police and international troops killed at least 47 insurgents in recent combat across the country.

Authorities say coalition forces Saturday killed seven militants in the Musa Qala district of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. In the same province a day earlier, 20 insurgents were killed in battles with coalition soldiers.

Also Friday, coalition forces say they killed more than 20 militants, and detained 11 others in raids targeting villages near the border with Pakistan.

Another operation in central Ghazni province targeted militants who were assisting foreign fighters. Security sources say several fighters were killed, and six detained.

In other violence Friday, Afghan officials said at least 10 civilians were killed when a barrage of rockets targeting a U.S. military base in eastern Afghanistan hit a nearby village.

The past 19 months in Afghanistan have been marked by a steady rise in militant attacks, marking the bloodiest period since the Taleban was ousted from power by U.S. troops in 2001.

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