Two Afghan soldiers, four NATO soldiers and at least 20 Taliban militants were killed in the fire exchange as fighting escalated between the two sides. Afghan and NATO forces carried out a military operation in Arghandab province in the vicinity of Kandahar city against the Taliban.

Fighting increased after the Taliban-staged raid on the Kandahar jail. Hundred of prisoners including Taliban militants fled the prison after the attackers blew off the building’s main gate. After that raid, the Taliban took control of several villages in the area.

A statement released by the Afghani Defense Ministry said that the target of the military operation conducted in Ta-been village in Arghandab [district] was “a group of enemies of the people.”

"The operation is on track and on schedule. So far, we've had only minor contact with insurgents," said NATO spokesman Mark Laity.

Soldiers of the Afghan army and the Canadian command of NATO's International Security Assistance Force carried out joint patrols around the district of Arghandab in southern Kandahar.

According to a statement released by officials, two Afghan soldiers were “martyred”, four NATO soldiers were killed and several other were wounded as a roadside bomb exploded near them in Helmand province. The deaths were confirmed by the British defense ministry. According to its statement, one of the dead soldiers was the first female to die in Afghanistan.