Air strikes against Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan's eastern Khost province left over two dozens of people including 21 rebels dead early Sunday, a military officer in the province said.

"It was 2:30 a.m. this morning when a group of 30 armed insurgents crossed border in attempt to target government interest in Spera district but Afghan troops with the support of airpower of the international troops retaliated killing 21 rebels on the spot,"Colonel Mohammad Israr told Xinhua.

The remaining nine insurgents had fled the area, he added.

A district close to the border with Pakistan, Spera often experiences conflicts between government troops and militants.

Afghan government often accuses Pakistan of supporting Taliban insurgents in the lawless tribal areas close to Afghanistan while Islamabad rejects the claim as groundless.

Meantime, a police officer in the area who did not want to be identified said that mistaken air raid on a police checkpoint during the operation claimed the lives of six policemen.

No official from NATO or the U.S.-led Coalition forces were immediately available to make comment.

Taliban militants fighting Afghan government have not commented so far on the incident.

Spiraling insurgency and conflicts have left more than 2,300 people including militants, troops and civilians so far this year dead in Afghanistan.

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2008)