From correspondents in Kabul, Afghanistan, 09:31 PM IST

At least 40 militants have been killed in an operation carried out by Afghan and US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand, the military said Sunday.

The operation started Saturday after militants attacked a coalition forces' patrol in Sangin district, the US military said in a statement from its headquarters at Bagram Air Field, north of the capital Kabul.

The rebels used small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, from 'multiple concealed and fortified positions', the statement said.

The Afghan and coalition forces used precision air strikes to flush out the militants.

The coalition said at least 40 militants have been killed in the last two days, adding that, "over 30 enemy boats were also destroyed on the Helmand river.

The operation is currently ongoing and more information would be released when available, it said.

The US is leading around 20,000 multi-national coalition troops in Afghanistan to fight the insurgents.

Over 2,000 people have been killed in insurgency related violence in Afghanistan this year.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)