U-S forces operating in central Afghanistan have captured 12 suspected Taleban fighters.
A U-S military spokesman, Colonel Roger King said the suspects were captured in the remote Bahgran valley in the Helmand province after coalition fighter jets bombed the surrounding mountains.
He said the bombing was in response to sightings of 25 armed men taking up offensive positions near the valley, where some Taleban fighters are believed to be hiding.
On Monday, unidentified gunmen fired on a U-S military convoy in the valley. In response, Dutch F-16 fighter jets began bombing caves where guerrillas might be sheltering. No U-S servicemen were injured in the attack.
Afghan authorities and eyewitnesses say at least 13 civilians have been killed in coalition bombing raids in the region. The U-S military says it has no information about any such casualties.
Recently, there has been a rise in attacks on coalition troops in southern Afghanistan. The attackers, who hide in area caves, are suspected to be linked to the Taleban or renegade warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
About 13-thousand U-S-led coalition troops are in Afghanistan hunting down remnants of the al-Qaida terrorist network and fighters loyal to the ousted Taleban regime.