US Marines have killed 400 militants in south Afghanistan: commander

US Marines have killed more than 400 militants since launching an operation against the rebels in a remote southern Afghanistan district three months ago, a commander said Wednesday. Marines and British troops under NATO command launched the operation at the end of April in Garmser district, a Taliban hotbed in Helmand province which borders Pakistan.

Citing figures from provincial governor Gulam Mangal, the Marine commanding officer in Afghanistan told reporters in Kabul that more than 400 Taliban-linked rebels had died in operations there since then.

"I'm confident his figure in fact is accurate," Colonel Peter Petronzio said.

Afghanistan is gripped by an insurgency being led by the Taliban who were ousted from government in a US-led invasion in late 2001.

The rebels have stepped up attacks in the past two years despite an growing number of international troops here to help their Afghan counterparts.