Taliban ambush Afghan police, kill three

AFGHANISTAN: Taliban guerrillas attacked a convoy of provincial officials and police in the southern province of Helmand, killing three policemen and wounding six, government officials said on Tuesday.

The ambush came after several days of some of the heaviest Taliban attacks since they were ousted in 2001 and just as NATO is bringing thousands of extra troops into the country. Over 250 people have been killed since last Wednesday - more than the number reported killed in Iraq during the same period - according to figures from the U.S. military and Afghan authorities.

Nearly five years after they were forced from power by U.S. and Afghan opposition troops, the Taliban appear better organised and more aggressive than at any time since their ouster. The government convoy, that included the provincial police chief, was travelling in the north of Helmand when it came under attack late on Monday, a provincial official said.

"As a result of the clash, three policemen were martyred and six were wounded," said Interior Ministry spokesman Yousuf Stanizai. He said there were also Taliban casualties but he had no details.

A Taliban spokesman, Qari Mohammad Yousuf, claimed responsibility for the attack and said there were no Taliban casualties. Most of the dead were militants but included dozens of Afghan police and troops, four foreign soldiers and civilians.

Kabul, Tuesday, Reuters