Kabul, Saturday 29 November 2008: Troops killed 44 militants in Afghanistan, officials said, as around a dozen police and soldiers were still missing following a major clash and believed to be in Taliban hands.

Thirty-three of the militants were killed in a firefight on Friday in the southern province of Helmand, a Taliban stronghold where several districts are said to be in the hands of the al-Qaida-linked insurgents.

Afghan and US-led coalition soldiers had been on patrol about 150 kilometres west of Kandahar city when they came under attack, official statement said.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces returned fire primarily with small-arms fire and limited close-air support, killing 33 militants,” it said.

Seven “enemies” were killed in a battle with Afghan troops in the southwestern province of Farah on Friday, the defence ministry said.

The battle between Afghan and international security forces and extremists, mainly from the Taliban, have stepped up over the past year.