Afghan and international security forces raided a compound in northern Afghanistan overnight, killing at least 13 militants, including two Taliban commanders.
In a statement Saturday, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said forces acting on intelligence information surrounded a building in the Archi district of Kunduz province, where insurgents were said to be hiding.
The militants refused to leave the compound and engaged forces with small arms fire.
The ISAF confirmed that two of those killed in the clashes were Taliban leaders, including one who was responsible for distributing insurgent funds, designating targets and planning bombings.
Local leaders identified one of them as a rebel commander named Hamza.
Separately, the Pentagon confirmed that an explosion that killed a U.S. soldier on an Afghan army base Monday was in fact a suicide bomb attack.
The Pentagon said 20-year-old Sergeant Robert Barrett died from injuries sustained when the bomber attacked his unit in the Afghan capital, Kabul. The Pentagon did not release any further details on how the suicide bomber entered the base.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
