Fierce clashes between insurgents and coalition forces erupted once again in Afghanistan, at least 170 militants and one foreign trooper being killed in the latest incidents, army officials said Wednesday.

The US military said Afghan and coalition troops launched several operations in the Musa Qala district in the southern Helmand province Tuesday, aimed at routing out Taliban fighters.

The joint forces were engaged in intense gun battles with insurgents and requested air support. Coalition aircrafts bombed Taliban positions and killed over 105 militants, military sources informed.

“The engagement began yesterday when several dozen insurgents attacked the convoy from an extensive trench system and several compounds with small-arms, mortar and rocket propelled grenade fire and Taliban fighters reinforced their positions from the village of Musa Qala,” a statement released Wednesday said.

During the intense fire exchange a coalition soldier died and four others were injured, the US army said adding there weren’t reported civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, a statement by the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said Taliban fighters attacked security forces in the central Uruzgan province Tuesday night.

Reportedly, more than 65 insurgents have been killed after ground troops received support from NATO jet fighters and artillery.

“Precision-guided munitions were employed on positively identified Taliban positions, killing more than 65 insurgents,” the ISAF statement informed

There were no reports of casualties among coalition of Afghan troops, but three civilians may have been injured during the offensive, the ISAF said.

Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force 82 spokesman, said the coalition forces are intending “to deny the enemies of peace the use of Deh Rawood as a safe haven.” The district is seen as a hotbed of militancy and fierce clashes frequently take place between joint Afghan-coalition troops and Taliban, more than 75 insurgents being killed last week in the same region.

A flare up of violence has been observed in the past weeks, the number of attacks on Afghan and foreign soldiers soaring dramatically. Thousands of insurgents, troopers and civilians died in clashes or suicide attacks only this year in the war-torn country.