The US military said at least 12 insurgents were killed Sunday during clashes with security forces in the volatile Afghan province of Helmand.

A group of insurgents attacked an Afghan and coalition patrol in the northern region of Sangin district early Sunday, triggering an intense gunbattle.

According to a statement released by the US military, the Taliban received reinforcements and the coalition troops were forced to call in air support.

NATO aircrafts opened fire on the militants’ positions and killed at least 12 insurgents, several others being injured. The number of casualties wasn’t confirmed by the Taliban, who refrained from making any statements over the incident.

The US-led coalition said no Afghan or foreign soldiers were injured or killed in the fire exchange.

Also on Sunday, security troops detained two suspected rebels in the Shinkay district of the southern Zabul province, another statement released informed.

“Credible intelligence led the combined force to the Shinkay district where the suspected Taliban-affiliated militants were hiding. There were no injuries to any side during the operation,” a military statement said.

Late Saturday, an explosive device was detonated by remote control in Miray, the district center of Andar district in southern Ghazni province. The blast injured sixteen persons, including the district chief Abdul Rahim Disiwal and three of his bodyguards.

According to the provincial police chief, three civilians suffered life-threatening injuries and have been taken to the local hospital, along with the other injured persons. The explosive charge was attached to a motorcycle parked in a central area of Miray, being detonated when the district chief passed through the area.

A Taliban spokesman said they are responsible for the attack targeting government officials in Andar, who were injured by the explosion.

In other developments, unidentified perpetrators abducted a Bangladeshi national in the central Lowgar province, officials said.

The man was reportedly working for a non-governmental organization and was kidnapped by gunmen from his office in Pul-i-Alam, the province’s capital. It is believed that the suspected militants seized the foreign citizen in order to demand a ransom for his release.