Afghan and international forces killed 22 Taliban insurgents in the troubled south of the country during several hours of fierce fighting, police said today.

The rebels ambushed a joint Afghan and foreign forces patrol in Shinkay district of Zabul province late yesterday, sparking the exchange, provincial police chief Abdul Rehman Sarjang said. "Twenty-two Taliban were killed. The militants left the bodies behind. Four are Pakistani nationals and the rest are Afghans," he said.