The Afghan National Army (ANA) backed by the U.S.-led Coalition forces on Wednesday launched a joint operation to disrupt suspected Taliban safe havens in eastern Afghan province of Laghman, killing over 30 militants, said a Coalition statement released in Kabul on Thursday.

The operation took place in response to information gathered following a recent attack by militants on the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in that area, the statement said.

The joint forces were engaged by militants using small-arms fire and the fierce fight forced approximately 200 civilians fleeing the area, including women and children, it said.

Air support was called in destroying one enemy fighting position and killing over 30 militants, it said.

"A large cache of mortar rounds and IED (Improvised Explosive Device) materials were destroyed on the spot," it added, "no civilian casualties were reported so far."

In another incident on the same day, three ISAF soldiers died in eastern Afghanistan when their vehicle struck an IED while another one died of a non-combat injury, according to an ISAF statement released here on Thursday.

However, the statement did not disclose the nationality of any casualty prior to the relevant national authority doing so, adding the incidents are under investigation.

Taliban militants fighting Afghan and international troops have yet to make any comment.

Taliban insurgents who staged a violent comeback three years ago have intensified their activities across Afghanistan over the past weeks to mount pressure on the government despite around 70, 000 foreign troops stationed in the war-torn country vowing to keep peace and help reconstruction here.

Conflicts and spiraling insurgency have claimed the lives of over 3,000 people so far this year.

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2008)