Kabul, Sep 27 : US-led coalition troops backed by warplanes have killed about 170 Taliban militants in two major battles in southern Afghanistan. A US-led coalition soldier has also died in the operation.

Fighting with the insurgents erupted on Tuesday in Helmand, a Taliban stronghold, and continued till Wednesday, a statement from the US-led coalition said.

"The initial estimate by a ground forces commander assessed that more than 104 insurgents were killed thus far in the engagement," it said. The figures could not be verified independently.

Kabul, Sep 26 : At least sixty Taliban fighters were killed in Afghanistan's southern Helmand on Wednesday.

In the evening, the government announced that the Pakistani president, General Pervez Musharraf will skip a meeting with Afgan President Hamid Karzai. The General’s eight years rule has been challenged by the opposition parties and Islamic militant groups.

The Associated press reported, “The Pakistani government may impose a state of emergency because of “external and internal threats” and deteriorating law and order in the volatile northwest near the Afghan border.”

President Bush and President Hamid Karzai of Afganistan, close allies in fighting terrorism, found much to agree on as they completed a two-day meeting on Monday, but differs on the role of Iran in Afghanistan.