NATO: Two Hundred Taleban Fighters Killed, Hundreds Trapped

北约：二百塔利班被击毙数百遭围困

NATO says its forces have killed more than 200 Taleban fighters and cornered several hundred more in an offensive against the hard-line Islamist group in southern Afghanistan. A NATO spokesman told reporters in Kabul Tuesday that allied forces are closing in on Taleban guerrillas, pushing them into what he called "a bit of a trap."

NATO's Operation Medusa was launched Saturday to wipe out Taleban strongholds in Kandahar province. It has sparked intense fighting in the region near the border with Pakistan. Five Canadian soldiers have been killed during the operation, including one hit by so-called "friendly fire" from a U.S. warplane on Monday.

In a separate development, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is due to visit Afghanistan as early as Wednesday, in an effort to mend strained relations between the two countries. Afghan officials contend that Taleban guerrillas use Pakistani territory as a staging area for their cross-border attacks. Pakistan rejects the accusation.

北约组织说，在阿富汗南部针对强硬派伊斯兰武装的一次攻势中，北约部队总共打死200多名塔里班人员，并且围困了几百人。北约发言人星期二在喀布尔对记者说，联军部队正在包围塔里班武装分子，把他们逼进“陷阱”之中。

北约星期六发动了代号为“美杜莎”行动，争取消灭坎大哈省的塔里班据点。行动引发了在巴基斯坦边界附近地区的激烈战斗。有5名加拿大士兵在行动中丧生，包括一名星期一被美国战斗机“友军炮火”误伤的士兵。

另一方面，巴基斯坦总统穆沙拉夫可能最早于星期三将访问阿富汗，目的是修复两国之间出现的紧张关系。阿富汗官员声称，塔里班武装利用巴基斯坦领土做为越境袭击的基地。巴基斯坦否认这项指控。