Gun battle leaves five militants dead in S Afghanistan

KABUL, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Five Taliban militants including their commander were killed while gun battle erupted in Afghanistan's southern Zabul province Wednesday night, an official said on Thursday.

"Armed militants ambushed a police patrol team in Shamonzai district Wednesday night and police returned fire killing five rebels including their commander Mullah Naqibullah Akhond," Mohammad Wazir Jawadi governor of Shamonzai district told Xinhua.

No causalities had been reported to police, he added.

Taliban militants fighting the Afghan government and NATO-led forces have yet to make comments.

The hard-line militants whose regime was toppled in a U.S.-led invasion in late 2001, have vowed to speed up attacks against Afghan and the NATO-led forces based in Afghanistan.