WASHINGTON, May 22 (UPI) -- The U.S. military says up to 80 Taliban were killed in a ground and air assault in southern Afghanistan early Monday.
The assault was the third such operation in the area this week. On May 19, the U.S. military said 60 Taliban were killed in two separate operations in Kandahar and Uruzgan province.
U.S. and Afghan military officials said in early May Talib forces were massing in several areas in southern and central Afghanistan, and said there would be a spring offensive.
Afghan officials told journalists Monday that 60 of the dead were Taliban, and there were around 20 civilians killed in the assault on the village of Azizi.
U.S. Central Command said only those who were fighting were targeted, but it did not rule out the possibility of civilian casualties.
"The Coalition only targeted armed resistance, compounds and buildings known to harbor extremists. Coalition forces must retain their ability to defend against fire emanating from known enemy positions," said a CENTCOM press release.
"Coalition forces are aware of media reports of civilian casualties and are continuing to review assessments from ground elements in the region," said Lt. Col. Paul Fitzpatrick, Combined Joint Task Force-76 spokesman.
The assault was planned to be a raid to detain several individuals, but when coalition forces arrived they encountered fierce resistance. Five alleged Taliban extremists have been detained.
In a separate engagement, Afghan army and coalition forces reported the capture of a mid-level Taliban leader on Friday in the Tarin Kowt district of Uruzgan province.
They captured Mullah Mohibullah, believed to be the Taliban commander in Helmand Province, at a Tarin Kowt bazaar. He was detained without firing a single round. According to Central Command, Mohibullah orchestrated an ambush in Musa Qalay that killed one U.S. service member and wounded several others.
